True Warrior
by GP06FR
Summary: Plunged into a world of deceit and bloodshed, Sakura Kinomoto lost her hold on everything normal the day she turned 16, the day she lost her parents and the day an old rival bid her farewell. "It's a small world Kinomoto, we'll see each other again." Were his parting words. Who knew eight years was all it would take for those words to come true? S x S AU
1. i

**True Warrior**

**Summary**: Plunged into a world of deceit and bloodshed, Sakura Kinomoto lost her hold on everything normal the day she turned 16, the day she lost her parents and the day an old rival bid her farewell. _"It's a small world Kinomoto, we'll see each other again."_ Were his parting words. Who knew eight years was all it would take for those words to come true?

**Author's Note**: Well, this is my second attempt at trying to finish TW. Any of you remember the first version? I just took it down tonight.

Tell me what you thought.

**Disclaimer**: Everything you read here, apart from the familiar CCS characters, plot and cards, are mine.

* * *

**_i._**

The autumn evening was seemingly ordinary, with the sun tucked beneath the dark skies and the stars twinkling bright.

"Would you like some champagne, miss?"

Her eyes briefly glanced in the waiter's direction before she shook her head no. Large chandeliers hung off of the roof, as if about to fall, while the marble floor remained flawless. It had to be. After all, this was the inauguration of Mr Takai Yamamoto's fourteenth estate. The waiter was off to his next even before she heard the voice in her head. And no, she didn't mean _that_ voice that we all heard.

"_Are you ready?"_

She nodded before moving forward through the crowd, her smile in place as she came closer to her next target. Music ever so classical was playing as her footsteps met the rhythm of the music, beat to beat. She always did enjoy Beethoven.

"_Word is he's going to take his leave in the next ten minutes. You've probably got two minutes before he's escorted off."_

"I heard you," she told the voice, trying her best to ignore it now.

"Miss Mai," she saw him smile at her through his wickedly white teeth. He wasn't alone. "Here for more questions, I presume?"

She laughed. Two women. She could handle two women, if she had to. "No. I'm afraid I'm going to call it a night. It was lovely meeting you, Mr. Yamamoto. You truly live up to the prestige of being the fourth richest man in Japan."

"And you let your readers know it, Miss Mai,"

"Please," she leaned in closer, one hand on his, the other in her pocket. "Call me Mai,"

The shot was clean and precise, straight through his supposedly vicious heart. She was walking back, through the crowd, as he slumped to his knees, his eyes bulging and frenzied. She was over twenty people away before the red seeped through his impeccably white suit and jacket. The shrieking began then. Did three seconds really pass so slowly?

"_Take exit route 3,"_

"Got it,"

First she stashed away the black wig. Next, she looked over her shoulder to confirm that she was alone. She was in the door, down the stairs and on the balcony, in the clear night air, before she brought out her gun and shot the arrow to the tree about fifteen metres away. She then brought her hook on the rope that went with it and made to slide away when she heard the voice.

"Stay where you are,"

She felt the shiver roll up her spine as she wondered if she should turn around to see who'd been the one to find her. It'd only been thirty seconds since Yamamoto died. She made to turn around just as she placed a hand into her pocket.

"Don't,"

Too late, she thought, as she shot into the air, missing her captor. Without wasting another second she made for the hook and slid down the rope, to the tree and onto a firm branch.

"Over here," she could hear the man screaming all the way here. She leaped from branch to branch before landing firmly on feet and sprinting. She had to get out of there, pronto.

"_Escape route 14,"_

Which one was that again?

"_Take the underground entrance,"_

Right.

The subway.

"On it,"

The electric fence had been dismantled even before she entered the premises. Over the wall and a leap later, she was one step closer to scot free.

The skirt had been a bad idea; she'd known that from the start. If only Yamamoto wasn't such an old sleazebag. Down the empty streets she ran before dashing into the second alley on her left. A second for breath and she was running once again. The shoes she wore were louder than she liked but it couldn't have been helped. She only hoped once she was back in public that she would be less conspicuous.

"_Next train leaves at 21.45,"_

Shit.

Six minutes to freedom.

She heard the trails of men galloping down the road she'd just dashed off of even before she left the thin scrape of the alleyway she'd dodged into.

_"You're being trailed,"_

"You don't say," she told the voice sarcastically as she finally saw the way lead up to the main street. Lights and honks flashed as she joined the public once again. She let out her neat bun, her auburn hair now free and cascading down her back, as she put on the glasses and turned her coat inside out. One with the crowd now, she was exactly four minutes away from the subway entrance. She already had her ticket. She just needed to make it.

"_Four minutes,"_

"I know,"

Down the stairs again, quick and swift, before inserting her ticket onto the detector and the gate opened for her. Sweet freedom, she was almost through.

As she stood on the platform waiting for the subway, she realized she hadn't cut it this close in a long while.

Just as the train approached she heard the running footsteps, loud and tardy. This guy was good, clearly, but not good enough. He was still a few feet away, and she was going to see this job through, no matter what had to be done.

The doors opened as she hid behind the veil of people, her eyes on him as he approached. Her smile was firm, even if she knew this was cutting a little too close, as she realized that she was going to make it and there was no way some silly agent or bodyguard was going to stop her.

Two seconds before the doors would shut she walked into the train. And right behind her, was him. She should've known.

Through the train they ran as she neared the next door, but it wasn't good enough. His hands were on her elbows, pushing her into the doors that had just slammed shut. She knew what she had to. There wasn't another choice.

"Who are you?" he asked her as his eyes met hers through the frame of her glasses, in the reflection of the glass in the door.

Dear, God.

"_You've got sixty seconds before that train is taken care of," _she heard her sadistic voice through the receptor as nothing but the brown of his eyes and hair sank in.

God was playing another cruel trick on her.

'_It's a small world, Kinomoto,'_

His voice hadn't really changed. He even looked the same, she realized, when she thought about it. What was she doing, losing herself in the moment? How many seconds had passed? Twenty seconds, she realized, had passed as she simply gazed at him like a fool.

"Time," she whispered under her breath as he spoke again.

"Look, there's no way out of here. Just tell me who you are and what you wanted—"

She watched his face for any recognition of what he felt, of what she was using. He'd moved to say something, but it was too late. Yesterday was here, and before she knew it, she was back on her bed. The soft mattress was a nice change compared to the night she just had. Correction: will have.

One day ago, that's where she was right then. She'd turned back time exactly twenty four hours and here she was, back in her home, on her turf, thinking about the boy that'd left her all those years ago. And now, he was back as a man and tomorrow, everything would take place as it had tonight only this time around, he'd be prepared.

Had he recognized her?

Sakura would know tomorrow night for sure.

She had a feeling it would take Syaoran Li a lot more than a move to China to forget the current Card Mistress.

_It was you, breathless and torn _  
_I could feel my eyes turning into dust _  
_Into strangers, turning into dust _  
_Turning into dust_

**- Into Dust, Mazzy Star.**

* * *

Read and Review.

Thank you.


	2. ii

**True Warrior**

**Summary**: Plunged into a world of deceit and bloodshed, Sakura Kinomoto lost her hold on everything normal the day she turned 16, the day she lost her parents and the day an old rival bid her farewell. _"It's a small world Kinomoto, we'll see each other again."_ Were his parting words. Who knew eight years was all it would take for those words to come true?

**Author's Note**: Petersgirl21, blossomofshadow, Ainez, deadflo, MusetteFujiwara, Wikidthoughts: Thank you, you guys! Six reviews on the first chapter! Something else.

Hope you like this story and how it's going. It's a little different from my previous story, but the heart's still there, trust me.

Oh, and listen to 'Don't you worry child' while you read this. -wink-

**Disclaimer**: Everything you read here, apart from the familiar CCS characters, plot and cards, are mine.

* * *

**_ii._**

_Running._

_Long trails of empty streets._

"_Sakura!"_

_Run, run._

"_You've got nowhere to go, girlie."_

_Run._

_Run._

_Run._

With a small gasp, Sakura was up in bed, sweating as she checked to see that indeed, she was still alone in her temporary home.

How many nights had she spent this way, petrified and stifled by the pressures of the past?

A glance at the clock told her it was a little after three in the morning. A little more than four hours left before she would have to debrief with the company and now, killing Takai Yamamoto wasn't even the problem anymore.

Six times in total Sakura had used the Time to overcome sticky situations and every time, there was a price to pay.

Sakura all but knew very well what the price would be this time.

A little more than four hours later, sure as yesterday, came her orders.

"_Are you up?"_

Sakura grunted in response.

"_You've got a new mission."_

Sure, she did.

"Who?" Sakura played along.

"_Special Agent Syaoran Li of the IAS,"_

Sakura could've sworn her heart skipped a beat.

"_Thirty five years old, six feet tall, fair skinned, brown eyes, brown hair, the other details will be sent to you shortly."_

Why was an IAS agent at Takai Yamamoto's estate inauguration? Family connections?

"What if I said no?" Sakura knew merely saying the word was a mistake.

"_No?"_

"... To this case. What if I chose to walk away from this one case?" Sakura asked carefully to the robotic voice she'd known for over five years. Before that, her electronic ear receptor had the voice of a man.

Silence was heard from the other end before a bristling brought the robot voice out of her stupor, it seemed. What had she gone and done?

"_Sakura?"_

Oh, no.

"Yeah?" At least it was still robot voice on the other side.

"_Are you opting out of the Company?"_

Sakura didn't reply.

"_If that's what you're saying then—"_

"No, that's not what this is,"

"_Then what is it?"_

Silence, again.

"_We don't have time for this. The details have been sent to your phone. You've got six hours to prep."_

Sakura sighed as the connection went blank. She stood and stretched, watching the sunrise ever so slowly on the other side of her window. The small studio apartment lit up inch by inch as she warmed up, bathed and ate. By the time she was checking out the details, the day had officially begun. Syaoran Li was on the guest list, along with his fiance whose name was undisclosed. The word fiance would've affected her a little more if she weren't so bothered about having to assassinate the man.

Reading into his history Sakura discovered that Syaoran had abandoned his Clan inheritance and the status of the same was declared on hiatus by the media. For what, though? For the IAS? That didn't make much sense, seeing as the man left Tomoeda simply to resume his training...

Whatever it was, Sakura decided not to get too emotionally invested in knowing what or where Syaoran had been all these years. She was different now, so he must be as well. There was no point fretting. It was either kill or be killed, and Sakura chose the former in one second.

The robot voice had the subtle subtext of an 'Or else' added to her last words and Sakura was not messing with forces far above her reach. Not yet, anyway.

She got to work, started prepping for her next, and probably last, case.

**t**. _w_

The first thing Sakura noticed this time as she entered the majestic Yamamoto estate was the sky, dark red with fury, as though a sign. She wore the same black pencil skirt and red blouse with the beige overcoat, her wig in place, her lips the same shade of red. No one would know, though, that this was merely a repeat of the previous night. No one save for her, and now Syaoran, and some others out there. The car drove to the gates, from where she knew she would have to walk.

"Name?"

"Mai Mizuro with Business magazine,"

"Can I see some ID please?"

She showed him the ID, flashed him a beautiful smile and slipped it back into her small bag. Just before she crossed the gate she disengaged the electric fence without any real trouble, as she had last night. Her eyes once again went to the red and blue sky as she walked to the mansion, aware of the green grass fields once again. It was a magnificent night to die indeed, if that's what would happen to her.

"Can I take your coat, Miss?"

Sakura smiled politely and handed her coat over whilst scanning the crowd for Yamamoto and found him nowhere in sight. Somehow she suspected that was more than just a coincidence. In any case it didn't really matter where he was tonight, for tonight, he was safe. One of the other agents will (or probably already has) taken care of the man. He was a top priority mission.

Nobody really bothered with her, and she didn't bother with anybody. The sooner she got to work, the sooner everything was sure because really, the suspense was killing her. Was she going to kill Syaoran tonight or not?

Sakura narrowed her eyes at the sight of a man in a black tuxedo approaching her whilst speaking into a walkie-talkie. She backed up a little before leaving the doors just as she had entered. Ten steps to the left and she'd managed to round a corner, only to watch said man leave the doors and look for someone... her. Now came the real question... to kill or to disarm? _Was_ he armed?

She decided to avoid confrontation and simply walked forward, with trees to her right and vast windows to her left, giving her a clear view of everyone inside. The loud thrum from the bass of the music playing was fucking with her mind. She never liked loud pointless beats. It made it difficult to even think. She kept walking before she heard the small step... then another. Someone was there, mere steps from her.

Turning around and facing them was what was being considered just as they closed in on her with an arm around her neck.

"Now," it was a girl's voice, nauseating and silly to be so lethally choking her to death. "You're going to do the talking and I might just leave you to live."

That didn't appease to Sakura's ego too well.

"What are you doing here?"

Sakura grunted. The girl's grasp on her vocal chords only tightened.

"You either talk," the voice threatened. "Or you die."

An elbow to the girl's gut wasn't enough, so Sakura bent over just enough to pull the girl over her shoulders, her long black hair swaying in the wind with the passing seconds as she fell.

Sakura never did work well with threats. She went to the girl and put one slight, vicious heel to the side of her skull.

"Let's see how you like it," Sakura taunted in a quiet and cruel voice, "Being threatened with your life while you can't breathe or think,"

And the heel went straight for the girl's neck, the pressure building and unbearable now, alternating vilely between her skull and neck. Sakura could tell that she couldn't breathe, the girl was spluttering for breath.

"Sakura,"

Sakura didn't even need to take a look to know.

He was here.

Syaoran was here.

"Step aside, Sakura,"

Sakura blinked once, then twice. Should she use her gun or simply wing this one? He was a special case, he deserved to die the least painful way.

"Step aside, Sakura, or I shoot,"

Or not.

The music was unbearably loud and thumped on her heart as though a drumstick beating against it. There wasn't any room for thought for she had to act, and fast.

"Long time, no see, Syaoran Li," she drawled. Syaoran remained impassive, his gun aimed straight for her head. There was no doubt that he'd get her if he took that shot. She'd die within seconds.

"Is this any way to greet your old lover?" she asked with a smile, her hands behind her back, one hand against her gun.

"I could say the same thing," Syaoran replied, his eyes cold and steely, his gaze on the girl beneath her. "I'm going to count till three, and you're going to let go of her,"

Sakura stomped her foot into the girl's head, breaking skin. That must have definitely drawn blood. "Or what?" she asked with grin.

Syaoran never said. Instead, he started count with a step forward. "One,"

"Come on, Syaoran. Do you expect me to—"

"Two," Another step.

Sakura thought of why her robot voice was quiet all night.

"I don't do well with threats," she warned then, wondering for the first time in six years why she'd never bothered to ask the robot for her name.

"Three,"

Sakura had only turned to face him then with her gun in hand, her foot off of the girl. Just as she was deciding to shoot, blinding pain ran straight through her chest, a sort of breaking sensation then followed with it. Her head fell back with the force of the bullet, her eyes now on the ceiling above. As she struggled to stand, she realized that Syaoran had gone through with shooting her.

Then came the second bullet, straight through her chest once more.

Man, he'd changed.

She met his eyes one last time before dropping face first.

Everything went black after that.

_There was a time_  
_I met a girl of a different kind._  
_We ruled the world,_  
_I thought I'd never lose her out of sight._

**- Don't You Worry Child/Swedish House Mafia**

* * *

And that's the song Sakura heard just before she collapsed.

As you know, the song I choose generally goes with someone who's written about in the chapter. This one's about Syaoran.

Read and review.

Thank you!


	3. iii

**True Warrior**

**Summary**: Plunged into a world of deceit and bloodshed, Sakura Kinomoto lost her hold on everything normal the day she turned 16, the day she lost her parents and the day an old rival bid her farewell. _"It's a small world Kinomoto, we'll see each other again."_ Were his parting words. Who knew eight years was all it would take for those words to come true?

**Author's Note**: Petersgirl21, blossomofshadow, MusetteFujiwara, Wikidthoughts, Moot: Twelve reviews already. I'm kind of hoping this story goes somewhere conclusive soon.

Thanks for reviewing, guys!

**Disclaimer**: Everything you read here, apart from the familiar CCS characters, plot and cards, are mine.

* * *

**_iii_**.

"Tom,"

Tomoyo looked up from her reports. "Yes?"

"You've got an IAS agent looking for you."

Tomoyo frowned, and then sighed. "I don't know any IAS agents, Masaki,"

"Well, this one's hot enough for you to pretend to know, so get your cute butt out there."

Tomoyo stood up and put her hair up in a bun. Lab coat in one hand, she walked past Masaki from her office. The two of them took the elevator up to the OR, where this IAS agent was, along with his patient.

"Hello," she said to his back as she approached him. "I'm—"

She paused midway.

The man looked familiar. His lady friend looked out of place somehow, in her jeans and leather jacket, her face covered in blood.

"Tomoyo?"

"Yes?"

"It's Syaoran."

The girl eyed him, just as Tomoyo did.

"Syaoran... Li?"

Syaoran smiled. "You remember. I'm flattered."

Tomoyo wasn't flattered that he remembered her, though. She wondered what it could be that an IAS agent could possibly want from her.

"This is Mei Ling," Syaoran paused. "My fiancé,"

Tomoyo wanted to snort. "Pleasure,"

Mei Ling nodded.

"What's this about?" Tomoyo demanded then, wanting to get over with the small talk.

"I've got a case for you," Syaoran started. "I heard you're thinking of applying to the Navy?"

"As a standby, yes," Tomoyo answered unsurely. "What's this about, Mr. Li?"

Syaoran looked at Mei Ling. Then, she spoke instead. "How would you like to work for the IAS on a special case?"

Tomoyo narrowed her eyes. "Can I see the patient file first?"

"I think that's strictly off limits, until you've heard everything we have to say and promise to adhere to the contract and rules," Mei Ling answered back.

Tomoyo looked around. Masaki was long gone. The entire floor was deserted.

"If this goes well you could climb on board, permanently." Syaoran confirmed her suspicions. "It depends on how you appeal to the Director, of course,"

"Director?"

Mei Ling sighed.

"I've only heard of the IAS a handful of times, and now they're asking me for help?" Tomoyo questioned incredulously.

"Actually," Syaoran butted in there. "I asked for you, specifically."

"Why?"

And there came out the million dollar question.

"Because Syaoran here believes you know this case personally, and that might help us." Mei Ling rolled her eyes. "Look, there could be other things out there to do, but you've got this shot to do yourself proud. Want it or not? Make the decision, and quick. You've got very little time before someone's death is on your head."

Tomoyo didn't think much after that.

"What, exactly, is the IAS?"

**t**. _w_

"The IAS, Intelligence Analysis Services, is a special defence force that was first set up by the U.N in the 1970s to counter terrorism. Granted, it didn't take off as expected and then broke apart among the member countries, but it is still tradition that the IAS be referred to as an internationally recognized service force." Syaoran paused to look at Mei Ling, who was finally stitched up and clean.

"Recently we received intel on an assassination attempt on Takai Yamamoto and decided to come check it out. Syaoran never really accepts cases in Japan," she paused. "Anyway, we arrived just in time at Tokyo to find out we were a little late. He was found dead, minutes before we found your new patient."

Tomoyo cocked an eyebrow. "So a mercenary, that's my new patient. Now can I see his file?

"Hers," Syaoran corrected. "Normally we'd have taken a few hours for a conclusive ID, but this time..." he trailed off as Tomoyo fingered the file before opening it.

"Sakura Kinomoto?" she asked after reading the name of her new patient. "Is this a joke?"

"What do you mean?" Syaoran asked.

"Sakura Kinomoto. There's got to be some mistake,"

Syaoran simply stared.

"Where is she?" Tomoyo asked.

"At headquarters,"

Tomoyo looked at the file once again. "Sakura Kinomoto. There's definitely a mistake."

Syaoran looked like he was about to laugh. "Trust me, there's no mistake."

"Alright, fine," Tomoyo dumped the file on her table. "Let's say there isn't a mistake. So, you're telling me that Sakura is out there somewhere, right now, with two bullets in her back, two bullets that could've easily ruptured her heart and killed her in minutes. Fine, I'll accept it. Now, what do you want me to do about it? She's going to need surgery, then she's going to be fine as long as her vitals sustain. She's lucky the bullet missed her lungs entirely, but that is another issue altogether.

"Now, in all this, what do you need me to do, exactly?"

Syaoran blinked. Mei Ling yawned.

"Any doctor would've been enough, by the looks of it. Why me?"

"We need you for the obvious reason, Tomoyo," Syaoaran spoke earnestly. "This is Sakura! Don't you understand?"

This time, it was Tomoyo who wanted to yawn. "So what if it is Sakura?"

"She's got the cards, you dimwit,"

Tomoyo shifted her gaze to Mei Ling then. "Excuse me?"

"I'm guessing Sakura cards are a whole other type of physical attribute, and Syaoran doesn't want to risk involving another doctor in something like that. One way or another, this becomes family business first, then IAS business, all in all a secret that needs to be kept."

Syaoran sighed. "You could be more polite about it."

"You could've been more honest," Mei Ling retorted.

Tomoyo sensed there a fight coming, and soon.

"The cards never affected her—"

"She's got the Shield on her," Syaoran told her. "It protected her, but the bullets penetrated her nonetheless."

Tomoyo gave him a surprised blink. "Wow, never knew that card could come in so handy."

"Yeah, thing is, it's still on her."

Tomoyo nodded. "And you need someone who wouldn't leak your inside information," she picked up the file and stood. "Let's make a move then,"

Syaoran stood up, Mei Ling as well.

"There're some formalities..." Syaoran started.

"I'll deal with them," Tomoyo told him between packing a bag of necessities. "After I've saved her life. We've wasted enough time as it is."

On the drive there, Tomoyo had a few questions.

"How do we take care of the Shield? Obviously if it's on, I can't—"

"I'll cut through it," Syaoran told her.

That was right. Syaoran had his sword. Tomoyo never did ask him what make or type it was, just that he used it to use his magic. She then eyed the girl in the passenger seat. Mei Ling.

"So you both work for the IAS?"

Syaoran nodded from up ahead.

Interesting.

"We'll need to hurry," Tomoyo ushered. "If she was shot over forty minutes ago then you've got barely any time left."

Syaoran accelerated, the car now swerving and slashing through the traffic. Tomoyo felt as if she were flying. She did not want to deal with Sakura's (or whoever this was) blood on her hands. Especially since the words _High Priority _were sprawled all across her case file.

Just who was Sakura Kinomoto?

_t_. **w**

Twenty five minutes later, Tomoyo had done her job. Syaoran had taken care of the Shield, which returned to it's card form. She'd removed both bullets from her back, confirmed that the bullets were not from any gun any IAS agent would be using and then went on for the physical exam.

It was then that Tomoyo turned her on to her back, carefully, to see her face.

Tomoyo finally felt it sink it.

"_Why were you so insistent that this couldn't be Sakura?"_ Syaoran had asked on his way over.

"Dearly Beloved,"

Tomoyo had already checked out her back, and apart from some scars that seemed to have healed to a large extent, and a possible broken rib and ankle injury in the past, she seemed to be healthy enough. Then, Tomoyo checked her ear and mouth and found the microphone and receptor. She bagged it; Syaoran would want to see this. She knew an MRI might virtually be impossible, for they had no idea what Sakura had inside her body.

"We are gathered here today to say our prayers and grieve for our friends, our family, those we dearly loved who God has taken from us."

Tomoyo looked at her face again, at Sakura's face again, and sighed.

After all this while...

"_Because Sakura was killed in a car crash with her parents over eight years ago,"_ she remembered telling him, the memory of their funeral and memorial still flashing before her eyes.

Light marks on her ankles, her wrists, her thighs... Sakura had been hurt, and severely, and Tomoyo had a small suspicion of what it must be.

"What've you been doing, Sakura?" she questioned her long lost sister and friend quietly, whilst examining her scalp. There was no doubt about it, this was Sakura. Tomoyo would never mistake those eyes, that hair, anywhere. Even if Sakura had walked by her as another person on the street, Tomoyo would've known. She wondered where she'd been all these years, how she'd been, and if her parents were alive as well.

The pads of her feet were scathed, but had healed over the years. Her physique itself was flawless, but she looked like that hadn't been much of a choice.

What had Sakura gotten into?

_When she was just a girl _  
_She expected the world _  
_But it flew away from her reach _  
_And the bullets catch in her teeth_

**- Paradise/Coldplay**

* * *

Read and review!

Thank you.


	4. iv

**True Warrior**

**Summary**: Plunged into a world of deceit and bloodshed, Sakura Kinomoto lost her hold on everything normal the day she turned 16, the day she lost her parents and the day an old rival bid her farewell. _"It's a small world Kinomoto, we'll see each other again."_ Were his parting words. Who knew eight years was all it would take for those words to come true?

**Author's Note**: Petersgirl21, blossomofshadow, MusetteFujiwara, KrisyStory, Wikidthoughts, Moot: I hope I've inculcated some bit of my constructive criticism in this chapter, Moot. Tell me what you thought of the character description. And thanks!

Everybody else, you've got some serious reading to do.

**Disclaimer**: Everything you read here, apart from the familiar CCS characters, plot and cards, are mine.

* * *

_**iv.**_

"She's been through some tough things, and we are very lucky she had the Shield on her," Tomoyo took a breath. "She could've very easily died."

"The microphone and receptor are a dead end. Whatever or whoever was behind that is gone, the signal itself a ghost now. All we've got is bits of Sakura's DNA on it, and maybe a technology we haven't yet seen out in the market. So, that proves our theory. They're well financed." Mei Ling told the two of them.

"The bullets are confirmed to be 7.62 NATO from the SR-25 rifle. It's a common gun, made in Britain in the 1990s..." Syaoran trailed off as he looked at the file.

"And both bullets were the same make?" Mei Ling asked as she examined one.

"Yes." Tomoyo confirmed.

"Well, the estimated distance of the shooter is 300 metres, not more, based on the rifle used, which brings us to a skyscraper that far. It fits the description perfectly," Syaoran started.

"Which means our shooter was well prepared in advance and knew exactly what he was getting himself into." Mei Ling spoke up. "He knew to expect her there, at the party, outside the mansion,"

Silence filled the room.

"Well, I can think of many who'd want a mercenary dead," Tomoyo started. She then stood. "If that's all, I was planning on getting to some paperwork,"

"You can't leave before Sakura wakes up. You're our only doctor on premises," Mei Ling spoke.

"I know," Tomoyo affirmed. "I'll be down the corridor if you need me, in my new office, filing up my resignation papers for the hospital and signing the IAS contract."

Syaoran smiled. Mei Ling nodded. Tomoyo was gone within seconds, the door shut behind her. Sakura was in the ward, still unconscious, and probably will be so for another twenty four hours or so.

"Shouldn't we look into her history?"

"Already on it," Syaoran answered as he headed towards the computer.

Mei Ling sat eyeing him for a few minutes before speaking next.

"What aren't you telling me, Syaoran?"

Syaoran looked at her then. "What do you mean?"

Mei Ling didn't bother with more. "I'm going to head downstairs. You want something to eat?"

Syaoran sighed. "Mei—"

"I'll take that as a no,"

And with that, she was gone as well.

_t_. **w**

"Hey Mei,"

"Tatsuki," Mei Ling greeted back as she went for the vending machine to get some chips.

"Long night?" Tatsuki stood by her in her ridiculously short hair and short skirt, trying to make small talk. Mei Ling focused on what she'd said instead and didn't want to start on how long it was going to be.

"You could say that," she offered up.

"Well, at least your fiancé's just up the stairs," Tatsuki commented.

Mei Ling didn't know what to say to that. Rookie agents weren't people you pick fights with, anyway. "Better get back to work," she told her.

"Adios, chica,"

For sometime all Mei Ling did was sit on the counter of the cafeteria and think. Think about her past, her future, Syaoran... and then her job. Being an agent wasn't the easiest of things, sure, but at least she was—

The sound of the door opening brought her out of her reverie. She saw it opened, all the way, and left that way. Maybe Tatsuki hadn't...

Crash.

"Hello?"

Not a sound.

Then, the shriek was heard. It was a lonely shriek, a feminine one, and probably came from down the hallway. Mei Ling pulled out her gun and slipped out of the cafeteria and walked down with caution.

Shrieking in the IAS HQ was unheard of, even if it was two in the morning.

_t_. **w**

Tomoyo sat quietly, thinking about her old lover, her mother, and how proud the two of them would be to know that she had a chance to work for her country, to save lives, millions, if the situation arose.

She then thought of Sakura, her cards, her parents, Syaoran... weren't Sakura and Syaoran dating before the boy left? Tomoyo wasn't too sure. Sakura never told her anything of substance. Maybe they were, maybe they weren't. It didn't matter now anyway, for the boy had a fiancé and Sakura was no longer Sakura.

What would mother say when she found out that Sakura was still alive? She'd be pleased, mightily so, and happy. Mother did always love Sakura so, and Tomoyo knew that this would indeed make her happy as well. She had been so devastated at losing her cousin. She didn't have much of that, much of any happiness left. She'd just joined the Kujaku Hospital two months ago and already found the job dry and defeating. How had Syaoran found her? She wondered. If they'd found Sakura only forty minutes beforehand then how had Syaoran known to find her, that she was even in Tokyo in the first place?

The sound of a shriek brought Tomoyo standing and walking towards the door. First, she was going to wander out. She thought better of it and instead, placed one ear over it to listen. She hadn't even been fully introduced to the entire office yet, and someone already seemed to be dying. A little later there were footsteps. Tomoyo backed away and considered barricading the door but it was too late.

Tomoyo yelped before Syaoran came closer and placed a hand over her mouth, shushing her softly. Tomoyo nodded then, her eyes on his the entire time.

"Is everything..."

"There's been a breach," Syaoran told her. "I'm going to go downstairs to check on things. I need you to take this," he handed her a handgun. "And protect Sakura."

Tomoyo blinked.

"You've used a gun before, right?" Syaoran spoke.

"A little when I was in college, but how did..."

"We'll have time for that later," he rushed her out of the door. "Go to Sakura's ward, close the door and stay there. Don't open it for anyone."

"But I've never—"

"You chose this, Tomoyo," Syaoran eyed the corridor from side to side and then walked with Tomoyo ahead of him. "This is your first lesson in guns," he said to her just as they arrived at her room.

"If you see the enemy, you shoot. Don't think twice, because they will kill you and anything that stands in their way of Sakura."

Tomoyo could barely move when he shut the door behind him and left. She found herself nodding then, eyeing Sakura on the respirator. She wanted to sit with her and hold her hand, for her own comfort, but chose to stand by the door and do the only thing she was good at doing.

She waited.

_t_. **w**

Syaoran raced through the second floor corridor, then the stairs, then the first, and then went down to the cafeteria to find Mei Ling hovering over someone just before the entrance.

"Mei," he called out as low as he could before standing right behind her. "Who is it?"

"It's Tatsuki," Mei Ling answered tonelessly. "She's dead."

Syaoran puffed out a breath of air.

"Best part?" Mei Ling asked as she stood up. "I can't seem to see a bullet wound, or a cut of any sort."

Syaoran stiffened at hearing that. "Nothing?"

"Not a scratch,"

"Listen, Mei," Syaoran started. "I'm going to clear everybody out. I want you to get to Tomoyo, she's in the medical ward. Get there, and stay there."

Mei Ling frowned. "You're going in alone?"

Syaoran tried not to look too worried. "I've got my sword, Mei, I'll be fine,"

Mei Ling took off in the opposite direction without a backward glance. True, initially Mei Ling refused to believe in things like magic and its battles, but now, she was smarter than the rest of them. Syaoran first set off the fire alarm and watched the hurdles of agents climb out of their holes.

"This is not a drill," Syaoran stated. "Get out and don't come back till we're in the clear."

After that he was in the cafeteria, alone, staring down one lone silhouette in the far end. Syaoran's instincts told him that that was no ordinary human up there.

"Who are you?"

They said nothing. Instead, Syaoran watched something ruby red and hexagonal fly towards him at a speed he couldn't even fathom. Just in the nick of time he'd managed to move out of the way, only to watch the object practically crush the wall down. It was then that the power went out and the sprinklers turned on, wetting Syaoran to the bone.

Syaoran coughed out the water he swallowed, brought out his sword and stood, his right hand hurting from his awkward fall, but he would manage, come rain, come darkness.

If this person wanted a fight, then a fight they'd get.

_t_. **w**

Tomoyo counted her breath over and over to try and calm herself. She remembered Sakura's magic, and she remembered being so enamoured by it that she never once considered how dangerous it was for a ten year old. She heard nothing in the corridor outside as she prayed for them all. She heard nothing when the hooded figure arrived, just behind her at that.

She never had the chance to turn. Instead, she was forced to the ground with the feeling of crushing bones as her breath staggered. It felt like she was being electrocuted. She couldn't speak. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't cry out for help.

"I don't know a lot about magicians, but I'm sure that a bullet in your head will put an end to what you're doing to her."

Tomoyo felt her pain ease as she realized she'd fallen on her side. Looking up she watched Mei Ling bravely put up a defence against the person who'd almost killed her like a bug.

"Mighty brave of you, trying to save your friend,"

His voice was death defying and alarming, something Tomoyo could probably describe as the voice of an evil man.

"No need for alarm," he said. "I'm merely here to collect your assailant."

Tomoyo sat up, ready for a fight.

"But I see that you two would rather give up your lives rather than give her up," after saying that, with the mere swish of his hands, he threw Mei Ling out of the room, onto the opposite wall, where she lay, slumped and defeated. He then faced Tomoyo.

"Now, it's your turn,"

Tomoyo wanted to scream, wanted to run out of there whilst praying for Sakura's safety all the while, but before she could do any of those things, she felt the tingling in her skin that told her that she'd heard something, something apart from the evil man's voice, something apart from the dripping water.

"Shield,"

It was the slightest whisper, but it was there.

And it was right after that that Tomoyo had been thrown out of the room right through the walls, unharmed, with the Shield encasing her.

Tomoyo would know the feel of it anywhere in the world, and this was Sakura, protecting her.

_A hero's not afraid to give his life_  
_A hero's gonna save me just in time_

**- Hero/Skillet**

* * *

Read and Review!

Thank you.


	5. v

**True Warrior**

**Summary**: Plunged into a world of deceit and bloodshed, Sakura Kinomoto lost her hold on everything normal the day she turned 16, the day she lost her parents and the day an old rival bid her farewell. _"It's a small world Kinomoto, we'll see each other again."_ Were his parting words. Who knew eight years was all it would take for those words to come true?

**Author's Note**: Petersgirl21, blossomofshadow, MusetteFujiwara, KrisyStory, Moot: And here's the next.

I tell you, Syaoran and Sakura, ugh. Why can't there be more characters like you to write?

**Disclaimer**: Everything you read here, apart from the familiar CCS characters, plot and cards, are mine.

* * *

_**v**_.

"Firey," came Sakura's voice, raspy and out of breath, but sure as hell. The fire had been unyielding and powerful as he stared at her through the now forming flames.

"How many times will you make me say this, Sakura?" he said to her as he stood still, as though the fire had no affect on him at all. "You're a long way away from defeating me just yet,"

Sakura remained quiet as she pulled the wires and catheter off of herself. She stood with her eyes closed and felt the fire in her hands. She fisted them and then lurched one fireball straight for him, then another, and another.

"Mist," she whispered. Three cards were easy enough to do. She could do three cards. She would.

The room began to corrode as easily as it had been. It looked as though someone had burnt the room down, but that wasn't the case. Sakura knew she minutes before he'd gain the advantage.

"Sword,"

She'd have to be fast, faster than him. If only the Time had more affect on him than the few seconds it would give her, which would be practically useless. She went forward for him and used a fifth and last card.

"Move,"

It'd taken her years to master, but she'd been able to do it. Teleporting herself with the Move card had been difficult to learn and perfect, but the technique was flawless when used in a short range. And so, she was behind him, striking without a sound and taking the one chance she had.

She couldn't tell if she had struck him or not, but the next moment she felt her strength fade infinitesimally, the Firey had given out on her, no matter how hard she tried to hold it, then the Mist. The Sword went next, and after that the Move. She felt the cards leave her, slowly, as she slumped to the ground. She waited for a sound, for something to show her that he was still here to taunt her, and then kill her.

Sakura began to breathe deeply as she turned over and lay on the cold, corroded floor with her hands on her head. Her back stung the second she'd done so, but she didn't realize. She was aching everywhere. She couldn't really tell where the pain was coming from. Did it matter?

Eriol was gone.

She had done it.

That's all that mattered.

Sakura turned her head to look at her Shield, still strong and in place, unlike the last time. True, she'd summoned it one second too late, but how was she supposed to know that the bastard would go shoot at her?

"Sakura?"

Sakura... where was she now?

"Sakura, don't fall asleep."

Warm hands were on her face as she closed her eyes a second time, welcoming death as if it were an old friend. How many times had she died already? She couldn't really say.

But each time she did die, she felt peace.

_t_. **w**

"I can't feel a pulse," Mei Ling told Tomoyo as they picked her up.

"We'll take her to my office," Tomoyo told Mei Ling. "I'll go grab the crash cart."

After placing her on the couch, Mei Ling pushed on her heart, willing her to stay alive. Tomoyo came back with the cart and started to put on the oxygen mask. She brought out the defibrillator and wasted no time.

"Clear,"

Sakura jerked from the shock, but still no pulse.

"Again," Mei Ling urged.

"Clear," Tomoyo brought the pads to her chest and felt the girl jump.

A second passed, and there was a pulse. The sweet sound of a heartbeat, beeping through and through, filled the silence as Sakura came back to life, one beat at a time.

Tomoyo slumped down to the floor and turned to look at Mei Ling. Mei Ling stood with her hands on her head, her eyes closed before she returned Tomoyo's gaze.

_t_. **w**

Syaoran was at the end of his strength. It had been a long time since he'd practiced his magic, and while he wasn't completely pointless, he was beginning to wonder just how powerful his opponent was.

"Is that all you've got?"

It was bad enough being weak, but being defeated by a woman... that was just insulting.

"I should wonder if you can even control the Card Mistress, if you can't beat simpletons like me."

"Ruby," Syaoran heard another voice from the shadows. "We must take our leave,"

"But master,"

"Now,"

He sounded powerful, and unbeatable, and was sure as hell glad he didn't have to face him, or even her for that matter, anymore. It sounded like they were retreating for the time being. Thank the almighty and everything holy for that.

"Until we meet again, Syaoran Li,"

With their departure came the dreaded realization.

Syaoran hoped to his heels and ran with all his might.

Sakura.

_t_. **w**

Once the HQ was declared safe, agents piled in and wondered what the ruckus was about. Syaoran and Mei Ling had cleaned up, but it was pretty evident that they'd been through some kind of fight.

"What's going on?" Chief in command Trevor Reaves arrived at the HQ the next morning. "I'm gone for one day and all hell breaks loose. Syaoran? Mei Ling? New recruit,"

"Dr. Tomoyo Daidouji, sir,"

"She's the doctor we've got for this case," Syaoran started. "I think I need to brief you in on some things, Chief,"

"Well, Syaoran, brief away," Trevor took a seat across from Syaoran's table in his office, running a hand through his impeccably well kempt blonde hair.

Needless to say, Syaoran conveniently left out the part about magic being a part of existence.

_t_. **w**

Mei Ling entered Tomoyo's office and slumped against the shut door.

"I'm guessing the interrogation's started." Tomoyo said as she filed away papers.

Mei Ling sighed. "It's been six hours since they started. This girl's one tough cookie,"

Tomoyo hummed.

"Tell me about her." Mei Ling asked casually.

Tomoyo looked up at Mei Ling for a short second.

"Were the two of you close?"

Tomoyo kept her eyes on the paperwork.

"_As long as the one I love is happy, then I'm happy,"_

Old tapes of video footage and tonnes of costumes were proof enough of how close the two of them were.

"I think its best you don't get too involved in this case, Mei Ling," Tomoyo said instead. "The lesser you know, the easier it'll be to take care of this entire thing."

Mei Ling sat observing her nails as she asked her next question.

"Syaoran was in love with her... wasn't he?"

Tomoyo sucked in her lower lip and took a deep breath.

"_I know telling her about my feelings will only bother her,"_

"I think you need to talk to Syaoran,"

Mei Ling sat in her seat right across Tomoyo for hours after that. None of them spoke, and that alone had all the answers Mei Ling wanted.

_t_. **w**

"She's not budging, Chief," Amagai Toroshi came out of the interrogation room and spoke. "And I've resorted to everything."

"She's not confessing, she's not talking," Trevor stood with his hands on his hips and gnawed on his lips. "What do you say we do, Syaoran?"

"We wait, sir," Syaoran answered immediately. "She's going to crack, one way or another. All we have to do is wait."

"Well, we'll have to give her up soon enough," Trevor sighed as he paced the room. "The ATN wants this case handed over to them ASAP,"

"Well, it's her death sentence," Amagai stated. "She could've talked. We could've cut her some sort of deal. She doesn't seem interested, though."

"She seems resigned," Syaoran agreed.

"I would count on suicide. Women mercenaries are the kind to clean up after themselves, especially when they know they're in a fix. So we keep her in the holding room," Trevor paused as he observed Sakura through the looking glass. "What I don't get is the silent treatment she's got going on right now. We could offer her something for the time being, till her sentence is announced."

Syaoran would have laughed, if not for where he was. How was a Chief in Command going to keep the Card Mistress any safer than she could herself?

"Well, Syaoran, you've been on twenty four hour duty, so you're free to go home and come back. Tell the good doctor the same,"

Syaoran nodded and looked at Sakura one last time before leaving the room.

_t_. **w**

At about three in the morning Syaoran returned to HQ to find the floor deserted, save for the guard and three other agents, namely himself, Mei Ling and Amagai. Syaoran walked past the holding cell and wondered... before he knew it, he'd made the decision.

"I'd like to talk to her," he told the guard. "Bring her to the interrogation room,"

"Yes, sir,"

Five minutes later he found himself sitting in front of a handcuffed Sakura.

"How're you feeling?"

Sakura merely stared back at him.

"You're not going to talk, are you?"

Sakura simply stared some more.

"Tell me about your parents, then? About home?"

Sakura didn't blink.

"I don't know how many of our kind you've come across," Sakura spoke, finally. "But we don't exactly leave behind families and run off to our job across town to earn our daily wage."

"So they're dead," Syaoran stated.

Sakura didn't say anything.

"Tell me something," Syaoran sat back with his arms across his chest. "Tell me anything. I'm listening."

"You shot me,"

"No, I didn't. Someone wanted you dead, Sakura, and it wasn't me."

Sakura looked away from Syaoran, and then at the camera. Syaoran stood, marched over to it and turned the thing off.

"I don't have much time." Syaoran paused to look at his watch. "It's already three fifteen, and Mei Ling will be here in less than forty five minutes, so it's time you start giving me some answers.

"The camera's off, the door's shut. No one can hear you, Sakura."

Sakura closed her eyes and took a breath. Exactly ten seconds later, she spoke. "You're all going to die,"

Syaoran froze at that, but said nothing. Sakura kept talking, her eyes still closed.

"They will come for me, again, and this time you can do nothing to stop it. They will come, and they will kill me, and they will kill you all."

"Why do they want you dead?"

Sakura shrugged.

"Why would they kill us?"

"For the fear of my having told you something,"

"And they think they can get away with annhilating the IAS?"

"Not to offend you, but I don't think you are even a blip on their RADAR,"

"Sakura," Syaoran neared her and spoke in a deadly whisper. "Nobody's going to kill anybody, not on my watch."

"Really?" Sakura smiled then. "I take it your encounter with Ruby was pleasant then?"

Syaoran didn't tell her what it was like. Instead, he asked, "Who was the other guy? The guy who spoke to Ruby?"

Sakura sighed.

"You might as well tell me," Syaoran countered. "Seeing as you're going to die either way,"

"On the off chance that I may survive, I'll shut my mouth now," Sakura spoke, her tone impassive. "I'm done answering questions."

Syaoran sat with her for another twenty minutes in silence, trying to get her to say something, anything, but to no avail. They were all going to die, and Sakura was going to die.

And she would take her secrets to the grave.

_And you will see how Godless a nation _

_We have become._

**- East Jesus Nowhere/Green Day**

* * *

Read and review!

Thank you.


	6. vi

**True Warrior**

**Summary**: Plunged into a world of deceit and bloodshed, Sakura Kinomoto lost her hold on everything normal the day she turned 16, the day she lost her parents and the day an old rival bid her farewell. _"It's a small world Kinomoto, we'll see each other again."_ Were his parting words. Who knew eight years was all it would take for those words to come true?

**Author's Note**: Petersgirl21, OXYD, Miss Unperfect 101, blossomofshadow, MusetteFujiwara, KrisyStory, Moot: Whatever is confusing you, or you have questions about, will be answered in due time. Patience. -smile-

ATN: Anti-Terrorist Network. We won't be getting into who or what they are. Just an FYI.

Also, this story strews from the manga, so Sakura has never met Mei Ling and vice versa. That was the first time the two of them met each other, when Mei Ling attacked Sakura.

**Disclaimer**: Everything you read here, apart from the familiar CCS characters, plot and cards, are mine.

* * *

_**vi**_.

Syaoran thought of millions of other questions to ask.

How did she get mixed up with any of this?

Why was she working for... whoever she was working for?

Where did she live now?

Did she have a family somewhere, kids and a husband?

"I heard you spoke to her last night," Amagai told Syaoran. "Did she say anything?"

"Nothing really, but I did manage to get her to say something about the attack, who it might be, but nothing to go on there either." Syaoran lied. "I'll try again; she seemed to be on the brink of opening up."

Amagai nodded. "Try all you want. She's gone by tomorrow this time, anyway."

The day passed by when at noon, Syaoran left the premises without Mei Ling. To be truthful, he barely thought of Mei Ling these past few hours at all. All he'd been worried about was Sakura, and this case. Once the case was handed over to the ATN then he had no chance of getting her back. She'd escape, Syaoran was sure of that, on her way over. There were dozens of cards she could use to her advantage, and no one would figure out when, or where, she'd gone.

The only reason she was stalling now was... the creep from the other night? No, it was more than that. Syaoran was sure of it. He wasn't sure why she was still around, especially when she had no logical reason to, but it was a _good_ reason, whatever it was. He could tell.

That night the stars were twinkling bright, the sky dark yet lit. Cold winds blew through the city as people moved about and went through their daily schedules, some arriving home from work, some already asleep, and some getting ready for work. Syaoran was one of them.

Syaoran had headed directly to the cafeteria to pick up some sandwiches when he ran into Tomoyo. Mei Ling was with her. Did she even go home?

That didn't look right.

"Hello," Tomoyo greeted. Mei Ling smiled at him. Syaoran didn't have it in him to smile back. All he could think about was whether or not to tell someone, and every time he thought about it, he knew he ought to tell Mei Ling at least, but something was stopping him.

Why was Sakura stalling?

"What's going on?" Mei Ling asked.

Syaoran looked at her then. "Nothing. She still refuses to talk."

Tomoyo sighed. "Does she know about me?"

"I'm not sure, Tomoyo. She's barely responded to anything." Syaoran looked at Mei Ling, then Tomoyo. "I haven't really informed the Chief about your relationship with her."

Tomoyo nodded. "Makes perfect sense not to... I don't even want to imagine the fuss it'd cause."

It would be a difficult secret to keep, but Syaoran would have to try. Finding Tomoyo had been easy enough but now, he didn't want her to lose her credibility over this case. Suddenly the entire affair felt like a dirty secret, something that he'd always promised himself he'd never do. Keep secrets from Mei Ling. That was never Syaoran. So why was he that person now?

He'd talk to Mei Ling. For now, though, he had to talk to Sakura once more.

"I'll see you guys,"

Syaoran was sure with one more crack she'd have some answers for him.

_t_. **w**

Exactly a minute after Mei Ling announced that she was leaving for home, Syaoran rushed to Sakura's holding cell.

"Shall I bring her out?" the guard asked him. Syaoran nodded. He needed to be careful. He'd already answered to questioning her once. He wasn't sure what he'd say this time around.

This time, Syaoran wasn't entirely sure, but it seemed that Sakura was...

"What's wrong with you?" he asked her.

Sakura slumped into her seat and looked at the ceiling. "What's right with me?"

Syaoran hated how these interrogations with her never went anywhere.

"Do you want to tell me why you think you're here?"

"Because I am,"

"They're giving you over to the ATN tomorrow. You're being shifted at nine o' clock, on the dot," Syaoran folded his hands on the table. "Is that what you're waiting for?"

The silence was killing Syaoran. Frustrated, he slammed his hands on the table. Sakura looked unfazed. Then, he turned to stop the camera. For a while he simply stood with his back turned.

"Do you know that Tomoyo's here?"

Sakura stayed still.

"Do you want to talk to her?"

"No,"

Syaoran raised his eyebrows. He should've known she wouldn't care to speak to her. They were best friends years ago. That should mean very little in Sakura's world.

"God, Sakura, you're going to die. Either whoever's after you comes for you, or you're set to be hung. Why can't you just tell me something, anything... anything that can let me _help_ you?" he asked, clearly aggravated.

Sakura blinked at that. "You want to help me?"

"What do you think I've been trying to do?"

Sakura sat quiet after that.

"Tell me who did this to you." Syaoran tried again.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not too sure myself,"

Syaoran turned around, trying to fathom what she'd just told him.

"You don't know?"

"I know people involved, some higher ups, sure, but I don't know who the Company is run by, no."

"So that's what it's called? The Company?" Syaoran snorted. "That's innovative."

"Most days we're sent out to simply follow client orders. This time, though, it was a different deal."

"So Yamamoto..."

"He was pulling the plug on a sufficient bit of finance, I think. Couldn't be sure. I never got to him, though."

"Wasn't he your target?"

"The target changed."

Syaoran sat down then. "Really? Who?"

"You."

Syaoran sat, stunned.

"You were coming for me that night." He then realized. "You were there... for me."

"And you, for me."

Syaoran laughed, rather hysterically. He'd never felt the need to find sheer irony so hilarious, especially at a time when he'd realized that his ex-girlfriend, who was some sort of terrorist now, was here to kill him!

"Why do you find it funny?" Sakura asked.

"You don't?"

Sakura looked at the floor. "I suppose it is,"

Syaoran had been there to capture Sakura, after he'd seen her the first time, and Sakura had been there to kill him, all along. If that first night had never occurred, would she still have had to kill him? What had changed in that one night? What was it? Was she lying? No, why would she choose to lie now, when her life was so close to being over?

"So, is that what that night was?" Syaoran asked. "They were here to kill me?"

"They wouldn't have to try so hard if it was you they wanted dead, Syaoran,"

It was insulting to hear, but true. He was no match for Ruby in his current state and he knew it. Before Sakura had arrived, Syaoran hadn't even glanced at his pendant or called on his sword. Magic had become a secondary aspect of life, and so had practice. He hadn't practiced with his sword in months. It was shameful to say, but he had a life, a real life, and responsibilities to fulfill.

"So it was for you and me, then?"

Sakura didn't respond. Instead, she sat up straight.

"Okay," she started this time. "I've thought of this inside out. There is no way we can get out of this mess, alive anyway. So we may as well stop kidding ourselves. I'm going to die, one way or another, so I'd suggest you get on the road and make plans to disappear.

"They will find you. Might as well buy yourself some time."

That was probably the longest conversation the two of them had had since they met.

"I never thought this is how we'd see each other again," Syaoran told her. "I don't know how I pictured this reunion, but it was never like this."

Syaoran could've sworn he saw Sakura's features soften, just a little bit, but he couldn't be sure. Her usual stone mask was in place mere seconds later.

"I joined the clan," Syaoran revealed. "This, working for the IAS, is a part of my training. The next step is politics,"

"Good for you,"

"Were you always..." Syaoran trailed off.

"A killer?" Sakura laughed, humourlessly. "No, of course not,"

So the Sakura he knew, once upon a time, was real. She was real, and had been a part of his God forsaken life. The thought relieved him immensely. He hadn't even known that the thought had plagued him.

"Mei Ling... was never a part of my plan," Syaoran explained. "I don't want you to think..."

"Relax," Sakura rolled her eyes. "It's not like you were going to pine away for me for the rest of your life."

While that was true, it hurt to hear those words from Sakura, like nothing they shared actually mattered at all. Didn't she miss him sometimes? Didn't she think of him? Well, she lost her family; she had far more important things going on in her life. Missing him was probably the last thing on her mind. How selfish was that, anyway? He moved on, led a moderately happy life, and he wanted Sakura to pine away for him?

"I want you to do something for me,"

"Okay," Syaoran leaned forward. "What is it?"

"Wipe out the Company."

_t_. **w**

A little more than twenty minutes later, Syaoran stood at Mei Ling's door, his hands behind his back, his thoughts muddled. With a puff of air he opened the door and entered.

"Mei," Syaoran tried to wake her. It was over three in the morning, and the poor thing had to be exhausted with everything that's been going on. Syaoran sighed as he slipped onto the covers and just looked at her.

Always so peaceful, so feisty, his Mei Ling.

He hoped that would never change.

He wanted to kiss her, hold her, but he didn't want to wake her and instead, lay there thinking.

He slipped out of the door just as dawn approached.

_We drift deeper into the sound, life goes on_

_We drift deeper into the sound, feeling strong_

_Bring it on_

_-_** As the Rush Comes/Motorcycle**

* * *

Read and review.

Thank you!


	7. vii

**True Warrior**

**Summary**: Plunged into a world of deceit and bloodshed, Sakura Kinomoto lost her hold on everything normal the day she turned 16, the day she lost her parents and the day an old rival bid her farewell. _"It's a small world Kinomoto, we'll see each other again."_ Were his parting words. Who knew eight years was all it would take for those words to come true?

**Author's Note**: Petersgirl21, petiteTRINH, MusetteFujiwara, KrisyStory, Moot: And so, finally, we get the story started.

Moot: Get a Fanfiction account! I'd read a story by Celestiana about Sakura being a federal agent and I wondered what it'd be like to write about an assassin/mercenary Sakura. There might be others out there, but I wanted to write something with a story, something with more than the sparkful romance b/w our two protagonists. Some of your answers will be answered in future chapters, but Sakura, or whoever she's working for, isn't stupid enough to leave a background to check for or a history to know about. There is no trace of her death, or birth, as it is for any well planned mercenary.

You should overthink things! Keep doing it.

And yes, Syaoran's in deep shit. Deep deep shit. Love life and otherwise.

**Disclaimer**: Everything you read here, apart from the familiar CCS characters, plot and cards, are mine.

* * *

_**vii. **_

**05.05. Hours.**

Syaoran looked around before slipping into the car and buckling himself in. Rear view mirror and side mirror adjusted, just a little before sunrise, the birds chirped outside, just like any other God awful day. The early morning was foggy, easy to drive through but a nuisance in any case.

He'd been home to bathe and change, but only for a second though. He wanted to be at the HQ.

A CD was already playing as he turned the ignition and accelerated.

"Here goes nothing," he muttered under his breath.

_t_. **w**

"_You want me to, let me see if I heard you right, _wipe out_, the Company?"_

_Blink._

_Breathe._

"_Sakura, that's a lot more than the usual 'Water my plants after I'm gone' favour."_

"_I never said it'd be easy,"_

"_There are no words for how impossible this is going to be."_

"_I never said it'd be impossible, either,"_

_t_. **w**

**05. 19. Hours.**

People were running helter-skelter around the HQ as Syaoran arrived, his laptop bag in hand. The familiar ding of the elevator was heard before over fifteen people climbed in. It wasn't really as quiet as Syaoran would've preferred it, but he kept his eyes closed till the third floor came.

He wished he could have spoken to Mei Ling before arriving at work. Something uneasy settled in his chest as he walked through the familiar corridor, wondering where everyone was.

His cell rang then.

"I'm at my office, Chief," Syaoran answered it.

"_Meeting at the conference room,"_ was all the man said before disconnecting. Syaoran sighed, placed his bag on his desk and walked out.

"Do you know what this is about?" Amagai questioned him.

"You were called too?" Syaoran asked, wondering what this could be about now. "Maybe it's something to do with the case,"

Amagai pursed his lips and said no more. Syaoran followed suit. The two of them entered the room and sat at the table without anymore talk. Mei Ling was nowhere in sight. Syaoran wondered.

"This is a level 8 and above meeting only," Trevor announced as he entered. "Level 8 and below, please take your leave."

Four agents, the second chief of command and the chief himself were present at the table. The door was shut next, after water had been served to everybody. Before Trevor spoke the room was stunned to silence in anticipation. What was going on?

"We've got a problem," he started. "Sakura Kinomoto is gone. Now, we've been reviewing all movements and Syaoran, it is said that you were the last one to have had access to her."

Syaoran nodded. He felt his stomach churn as he waited for the next question. Obviously, he would be suspected in the act.

"We reviewed the tapes and see that you handed her back to the holding cell by 23.47 hours," Trevor looked nervous as he said the next few words. "While that's all fine and dandy, we have no idea where she went, or how she managed it."

"What do you mean?" Syaoran asked.

"There are no signs of her having left her room in the tapes," Agent Rui Kawa said; his voice deep and assenting as he spoke. "I reviewed them myself with the guard and electronics expert. There were no entries or exits either, apart from agents alone."

Trevor's face turned stony. "This could be an inside job, men. We need to track everyone's movements from eleven last night to eleven in the morning, and when I say everyone, I mean everyone." He slammed his fists on the table. "I've already lost one agent in this, and now a culprit as well. Does anyone have any idea how the IAS will be implicated for this?"

Syaoran had known Trevor for six years now and not once had he seen him so furious, his eyes bulging and his face red. The man was over forty five but he sure as hell looked like he could create havoc, no matter what his age.

"Syaoran, I want you to return to her previous known address and look for anything we could use." Trevor told him. "Rui, you review those surveillance tapes once again. Scan it for anything the least bit suspicious. Amagai, I want you to question everyone who was present at HQ last night between these twelve hours, and I want to know everyone who saw Sakura Kinomoto, whether in her cell or otherwise, what time they saw her and why.

"Lily," he addressed the second chief of command. "I want you to go through our computers, our hard drives, our interrogation tapes and anything else that could have any relevance within these twelve hours.

"Tick, tock, agents. And keep this under the wraps. We will make a formal announcement only after the clock strikes eleven,"

Before Syaoran stood, Trevor called out to him.

"I'd like a word, Syaoran,"

Syaoran swallowed and sat back down, waiting for the others to disperse.

It would be so easy to blame him for losing Sakura.

_t_. **w**

"_You were always a little bit of a larger than life species, you know that? Wipe out the Company,"_

_Silence._

"_Now, I'm not too familiar with the wiping out process, but I'm guessing it involves taking out the head of this entire thing, which you know nothing about, and I know even lesser than you know._

"_How many people have they been responsible for killing?"_

"_Thousands," her voice was quivering. "So many assassinations, so many bombs, so many innocents, there're too many to count."_

"_How many were you responsible for?"_

_Silence, once again._

"_How many of you are there?"_

"_Tens, not more."_

_Grip. Drag. Sit._

"_Sakura, do you have any idea what you're suggesting? Imagine if someone overheard us! These people will kill me, and they will kill my friends, my family!"_

_Silence._

"_Why should I risk all of that just to do you one favour?"_

_Sigh._

"_Let's say I could do it," Syaoran humoured her. "Let's say it isn't as impossible as it is. Where would I start?"_

"_With bait. You would start with bait."_

_t. _**w**

**05.45. Hours.**

"Tell me something I don't know, Syaoran," Trevor spoke as he ran his fingers through his hair, clearly frustrated.

"She spoke about her family, her friends, before it all happened to her. She spoke about wanting out, about wanting to quit," Syaoran blinked. "You saw the tape, Chief."

"I did." Trevor walked to Syaoran. "Which is why I'm asking for something else, something I don't already know,"

Syaoran placed his hands behind his back. "I think you did everything you could, Chief, then and now. We will find her, you know we will,"

Trevor looked into Syaoran's eyes, his gaze piercing, unyielding, frightening. Syaoran could feel his insides screaming at him to tell him what he knew, what could possibly help, but knew better. It wouldn't just jeopardize whatever Sakura had in mind, but also Tomoyo and he couldn't do that to her.

To her.

To himself.

"Get busy," Trevor finished. Syaoran turned on his heel and left after that, without a glance back.

He had to work, fast.

_t_. **w**

"_You want me to bait them? With what, exactly?"_

"_With exactly what they want."_

_Blink._

_Breathe._

_Nod._

_t_. **w**

**06.00. Hours.**

"Mei," Syaoran approached Mei Ling just as she left her office.

"What's going on?"

Syaoran stood for second without saying anything, and then kissed her.

"I'm sorry," he stopped to touch her face, her cheeks, her hair. "For these last few days, for how I've been. Forgive me?"

"Of course," Mei Ling pulled back to look at his face. "What's happening?"

"No time, Mei," he kissed her forehead once more. "The Chief will brief you all in about five hours. Be patient till then?"

Mei Ling nodded.

Syaoran kissed her one last time before pulling away. "I've got to get to work,"

Mei Ling let him go before kissing his cheek. "Do you want to do dinner tonight?"

Syaoran smiled, and nodded. "Of course,"

Mei Ling stood behind, watching her fiancé walk away from her after a long three days. How she wanted to hold him, be with him. Not wanting to let him go had become a sudden issue for the two of them. She had to be careful, or she could end up with her emotions everywhere.

Only after Syaoran was out of sight did Mei Ling get back to work.

_t_. **w**

**11.18. Hours.**

"Any word from Syaoran yet?" Trevor asked Amagai as they prepared to debrief all agents.

"Not yet, sir,"

"Get him on the cell for me,"

"Yes, sir,"

**11.49. Hours.**

"Sir, I think you need to listen to something," Amagai came over to Trevor as the chief in command left the conference room and all the hullaballoo contained in it after the debriefing was finished with. His own agents had so many things to contribute, so many questions to ask. The media would make mince meat out of them.

"What is it?"

"Sir," Amagai paused at a man. "This is Mashashi Morou, our holding cell guard for the night shift."

"Sir," the man saluted the chief. The chief merely nodded.

"What do you have to say?" he asked, cutting to the chase.

"Agent Amagai was asking me about how long Agent Syaoran had the terror suspect for interrogation. The first night, it was over forty minutes, and the second night, well; the sir had her in there for about an hour, if I'm not wrong."

Amagai looked at Trevor.

"Something wrong, sir?" Mashashi asked.

Amagai cursed under his breath.

"Fuck," was Trevor's response, immediate and callous. "Fuck. Fuck."

"Agents," Amagai went into the office and made the announcement into the microphone without any further delay. "Code red. I repeat, code red. All system shutdown. All agents are to report for ID confirmation and badge checks.

"I repeat, code red, agents."

"How long were the tapes of Syaoran's interrogation with the woman?" Trevor questioned Amagai.

"Twelve minutes, then five,"

"Fuck,"

Fuck was right.

_t_. **w**

**06.05. Hours.**

The drive was smooth and easy, the afternoon sun bright and warm. Rows of traffic lights later, Syaoran stopped before the first red signal he'd encountered in the car that he'd randomly picked at the petrol station they'd stopped at a few minutes ago.

Correction, they'd encountered.

The car was quiet, and apart from the rev of the engine, there wasn't really another sound but for quiet breaths. If it weren't for her presence itself, Syaoran would've believed he was completely alone in the stolen Hyundai.

"There's no turning back from here," Sakura said quietly. "You lose everything. I hope you realize that."

Syaoran merely looked into the rear view mirror to keep an eye on the traffic behind them. They would be out of Tokyo in less than half an hour.

Syaoran felt as if he'd lost his bars and cage. Had he been that unhappy? No, he hadn't. Mei Ling had kept him happy. His job had kept him happy. Life had been... okay. But now he learned that no, he hadn't really been happy. Sakura was right, he would lose everything: his job, his family, his friends, his fiancé, his credibility, his life. From now on, everything would be different and somehow, that thought wasn't as scary as he'd imagined it would be. The voice of reason questioned him, asking him why he was doing this, but there wasn't an answer really. He didn't know why. He just knew he had to. It was probably a stupid time to start listening to his own conscience, but he did it anyway.

His mother would be so disappointed.

For the first time, he learned how _not_ to care.

_Starting from here, let's make a promise_  
_You and me, let's just be honest_  
_We're gonna run, nothing can stop us_  
_Even the night that falls all around us_

**- Not Gonna Get Us/T.A.T.U**

* * *

Read and review!

Thank you.


	8. viii

**True Warrior**

**Summary**: Plunged into a world of deceit and bloodshed, Sakura Kinomoto lost her hold on everything normal the day she turned 16, the day she lost her parents and the day an old rival bid her farewell. _"It's a small world Kinomoto, we'll see each other again."_ Were his parting words. Who knew eight years was all it would take for those words to come true?

**Author's Note**: aurora0914, brightestoflights, ariana, Guest, Yoshithebunny, Musette Fujiwara, deadflo, petersgirl, petiteTRINH, KrisyStory.

To my brilliant reviewers.

Forgive my insolence and absence for these past few weeks. Worry not, for I'm back, and will update at the least once in two days.

Now, back to the story.

**Disclaimer**: Everything you read here, apart from the familiar CCS characters, plot and cards, are mine.

* * *

_**viii.**_

"So, a motel on the highway or we keep driving?" Syaoran asked a silent Sakura. If Syaoran didn't know any better, he'd think she was scheming and plotting his murder.

At least, he hoped that wasn't what she was doing.

"Motel," Sakura stated.

Darkness enveloped the night sky as dusk slowly set in. Syaoran knew for certain that the IAS had figured out enough to implicate him with Sakura's escape, though they could never say how or when. Using the Move card was a good move. Sakura had indeed gotten good.

Mei Ling would be in the worst fix of all. They would hound her with questions till she gave them something worth their time, but Syaoran doubted that that would ever happen. He'd kept Mei Ling at a good distance from all of this and now, the only person who could be worth their time was Tomoyo. Syaoran's smirk was light. The good doctor had a few glitches in her records, sure, but nothing the IAS could link with Sakura.

Well, not for some time.

Putting Mei Ling into this predicament was never his intention, but he couldn't help it. This was how things had to be, of that he was sure. He only hoped one day she would forgive him.

"What do you want for dinner?" Just saying the words made Syaoran's stomach fall to the pits.

"_Do you want to do dinner tonight?"_

Wanting to tell Mei Ling was something of an inculcated habit from these recent few months. Sure, it wasn't wrong to want to tell your fiancé everything that was going on with your life, but it was different when you lead a life as an agent. Secrets were everything, and keeping them was almost always the trick to being a good agent.

All his fiancé had wanted was dinner with him and he couldn't even give her that.

"I'm not really hungry,"

Syaoran didn't care enough to contest that. His mind was on Mei Ling, how what he'd done would never allow them to be the same again, how asking her to wait for him would be stupid. Sure, his mother had chosen his second cousin as his future wife, and sure, he liked rebelling against his mother quite a bit. But Mei Ling, he cared for. She cared for him, didn't she? She followed his dream as her own and respected his decisions through and through. She was perfect for him. She would always be perfect.

An hour later, Syaoran slipped off the highway into the small motel on the left with a vacancy sign. Sakura shut the door and walked ahead of him. Syaoran carried his tote bag and wondered if Sakura even had any extras. They'd handle it tomorrow, if not.

"Two rooms," Syaoran asked as Sakura fiddled with a vending machine outside.

The woman behind the counter didn't say anything as she handed over the keys and told him how much. Syaoran counted the notes before handing her the cash as Sakura walked into the place with two cans of coke and some protein bars.

Syaoran walked behind Sakura up the stairs and watched as she let herself into her room and closed the door behind her. Syaoran followed suit. Just before he entered though, the creak of her old, wooden door was heard.

"Sakura?"

Sakura handed over a can and protein bar without a word. Then, she left.

_t_. **w**

Mei Ling sat with her head hung low at the cafeteria.

"Hey,"

Mei Ling wanted to scream. She didn't. Instead, she chose to ignore Tomoyo.

"How bad is it?" she asked next.

Mei Ling looked at her.

How bad is it? How bad is it when your fiancé leaves town with the country's most wanted assassin? How bad is it when you realize that that woman also happens to be the love of his life? It couldn't get any worse, Mei Ling was sure of that. This was as bad as anything could be for anybody, anywhere. To find out that your other half has abandoned you for reasons unknown is worse than finding out he's dead.

Because this makes him as good as dead to her.

"Mei Ling," Tomoyo placed a hand over hers. "It will okay. No one blames you, everyone knows that this was Syaoran's doing, all on his own. You may be detained for a few days, but you're not being suspended."

Mei Ling knew saying anything was pointless, but her insides were frenzied from thinking, and thinking again. And again. And again.

He left her, for what? Was that his goodbye, the last time she'd seen him? Was he telling her in his own subtle way that this was it, that they're over? Why didn't she pick up on signs? Why didn't she know to suspect him sooner? Obviously Syaoran would do something as reckless as this. For the past few days the man had evaded her, disconnected from her, run off to God knows where to do God knows what.

Mei Ling wanted to break something big and heavy, maybe throw it off of the edge of a cliff. She tugged on the ends of her hair and felt useless. What did she have left now? A job and family? What good were those things when the only one she'd ever loved had left her to dust? How would she recover from this?

She knew if she said these things out loud she'd be laughed at. Life had taught her that being hard, inside and out, was the only way to survive. Especially in the type of life she led.

The IAS was never even really a part of her plan. She knew better than to apply for it, but she had. She knew better than to accept the job, but she did. All so she could be with Syaoran Li.

Syaoran Li.

Just the thought of his name made her want to hurl.

"Mei Ling?"

She looked up at Tomoyo.

"It will be okay," Tomoyo said soothingly. "It will take time, but everything will be okay,"

Would it?

Mei Ling had never been so humiliated, or terrified, in her entire life. The type of questions she'd been put through, the way she'd been spoken to... she was a Li, whether or not anybody cared for it, and she hated the way she'd been treated back there.

All because the man who ran off with the assassin they were holding just happened to be her fiancé.

Mei Ling seriously doubted if things would ever be okay.

She didn't tell Tomoyo that but she knew, deep down, that things would never, ever be okay.

Life as they knew it was officially over.

_t_. **w**

Footsteps echoed off of the walls of the cave as Eriol walked through it. All things dark and creepy came to mind as he touched the walls to feel for a presence. Inhuman and volatile was the feel of blood and death on his fingertips, Eriol had come to realize. Mortals were messy that way, unlike his kind. Death was only the next step for a sorcerer... but to what, no one really knew. Clow himself had never really known what would happen to him after he passed, but here he was, missing only a few unimportant memories, alive and all powerful.

Save for Sakura Kinomoto.

"Master," Ruby spoke as he neared the meeting point near the shrine. "Come, join us,"

Spinel stood in his human form, his closed as he appeared to be meditating. To his right stood Ai, Eriol could never mistake her golden locks and fair skin anywhere, and to his left Ruby. Akuzi looked as forlorn and uncomfortable as he usually did, clothed in his usual attire of black and red robes. Eriol wondered where the others were, but made no move to ask about it.

"You certainly took your time, Eriol," a voice came as if from nowhere. Eriol stopped abruptly, his features peaceful but his hands fisted. Was it anger... or fear? There wasn't a way to tell. No one spoke after that.

"What do we know?" it asked. _She_ asked.

"They've left Tokyo," Eriol said. "I can't sense Sakura's presence, or her magic, anymore and I certainly can't sense Syaoran's,"

"How are we to proceed?" Spinel spoke then.

"You are to finish your task in killing the girl, and the boy, as well. Spinel," she addressed the second Guardian this time. "You will be the one to do so this time."

"If I may speak?"

"Yes, Eriol,"

"Sakura's magic has strengthened. It seems as though she may have been keeping her true strength a secret from us." Eriol told everyone. "You must not take her lightly. She is much stronger than she was a year ago,"

"Accepted. Ruby and Spinel will make sure the two of them are taken care of before the next day begins."

Then, just like that, the voice was gone.

Ai disappeared moments later, as did Akuzi.

"Ruby," Eriol summoned. A moment later, Ruby appeared by his side.

"Yes, master?"

Spinel, too, came to him.

"Do not underestimate Sakura," Eriol said.

With those words Eriol took his leave, his guardians followed right behind him.

_t_. **w**

"Where do we go from here?" Syaoran questioned as they drove out from the motel the next morning. "I was thinking Tomoeda,"

"That's an insane idea. It wouldn't take them seconds to find us there,"

"Wasn't that the idea?" Syaoran retorted as he shifted gear and headed up into the highway. "To lure them out, to bait them?"

Sakura looked at him then. "Tomoeda is a dangerous idea,"

"Why? It's the first place they'll think to look for us."

"If they wanted to find us, they will find us. Don't you ever doubt that," Sakura said firmly, her eyes determined. "There is no way we're doing this in Tomoeda,"

Syaoran frowned.

"What happened to your parents?" Syaoran asked.

"They were killed."

Syaoran stepped on the accelerator to overtake the car ahead. "And your brother?"

"Syaoran..."

"Is he alive, Sakura?"

"My life is my business, do you understand me?" Sakura said instead, her voice low but lethal. "We are not going to Tomoeda and that's that."

A tensed and awkward silence filled the car after that as Syaoran wondered what to do about this new predicament.

"How do you even know where is he now?" he asked.

Sakura sank further into her seat, her face twisted into an expression Syaoran couldn't place. Was she afraid? Worried?

"You do realize that I'm here to do what you want, don't you?" Syaoran badgered. "Wasn't this your plan? Do you want my help or not, because if you do, I'm putting my foot down on Tomoeda."

Sakura crossed her legs as she spoke next. "You can put your foot down all you want, but the answer is still no. I am not going back there,"

Syaoran didn't press further. He wanted to, and all his male ego and pride was screaming for him to do so, but he didn't. God knew Sakura could kill him with a mere look. It would be stupid to push her.

"How about Aomori?" he asked, clenching his jaw.

Silence.

Syaoran took Sakura's silence as the green light. Though, he couldn't help but wonder what exactly stopped them from heading back to Tomoeda. Well, whatever it was, it wouldn't stop them forever.

_We've only just begun_  
_Hypnotized by drums_  
_Until forever comes_  
_You'll find us chasing the sun_

_-_**Chasing the Sun/The Wanted**

* * *

Q: Tell me your worst work experience.

I recently had a writing exercise which made me want to come back here and... well, the story's pretty obvious. Inspiration is everything.

See you in 48 hours or less.

Read and Review.

Thank you!


	9. ix

**True Warrior**

**Summary**: Plunged into a world of deceit and bloodshed, Sakura Kinomoto lost her hold on everything normal the day she turned 16, the day she lost her parents and the day an old rival bid her farewell. _"It's a small world Kinomoto, we'll see each other again."_ Were his parting words. Who knew eight years was all it would take for those words to come true?

**Author's Note**: Monstar xo, yingfa07, aurora0914, Yoshithebunny, Musette Fujiwara, deadflo, petersgirl21, petiteTRINH, KrisyStory.

You guys inspired me. Truly.

Truth is I've only got one more chapter left to this one. I generally spend weeks trying to edit out a chapter I take barely two hours to write, trying to see if everything is in order, if everything goes with the story. While I haven't written or edited anything past the next chapter, I decided, to hell with it.

I'll ring it as it goes.

If I haven't replied personally to your messages/reviews, I'm sorry. I'll make sure I get to it in this chapter, I promise.

Tell me what you thought.

**Disclaimer**: Everything you read here, apart from the familiar CCS characters, plot and cards, are mine.

* * *

_**ix.**_

Syaoran had managed to get his hands on another car, a Toyota this time, and ditched the old car at an abandoned gas station. Aomori was a hell of a drive, and while Syaoran and Sakura took turns, Syaoran never felt comfortable with Sakura driving the car. She was way too fast and way too rash, even if she was careful and in control. Mei Ling had always been an easy driver, slow and calculative. Clearly, Sakura lived life on the edge.

Much further from Tomoeda, or even Tokyo, Aomori was on the far east coast of the country. Syaoran himself had never been there, but he'd heard it was beautiful. The beaches were cool and pleasant, the weather easy, the town not heavily populated. Syaoran decided they would take refuge there, till they'd encountered at least one of _them_.

"Tell me about the Company," Syaoran asked. Sakura was driving this time.

"What do you want to know?"

"Tell me about the others,"

Sakura glanced into the rear view mirror. "There's Ruby,"

Syaoran nodded. "So the other guy was..."

"Eriol,"

"Since when did he enjoy killing innocents?"

Sakura shrugged. "I don't really ask why anymore."

Syaoran wondered what the hell that meant.

"Who else?"

"Spinel and Ai. I'm not really familiar with all of them, but I know there are at least four or five more."

"How long have you been working for them?"

"Since the day you left Tomoeda."

Syaoran cleared his throat. "So it's been..."

"Eight long years," Sakura said with a dull tone. "Eight very long, very dreadful, years,"

This was most Sakura had commented on anything since Syaoran had run into her at the estate. Most days she simply kept to herself and said absolutely nothing. The Sakura he remembered was... not the Sakura before him. This Sakura was broody, pathetically immersed in her own thought and overly trained in skills that even he hadn't dared to attempt.

"You seem comfortable with your magic, though," Syaoran tried to change the subject. In any case, he was far more interested in knowing how Sakura evolved so quickly to the power she had now.

"I have to be. It's what keeps me alive."

"Well, just sitting next to you kind of gives me the chills," Syaoran shuddered a little. "You give off an unbelievably powerful aura. Wouldn't Eriol be able to pick up on that?"

Sakura crinkled her nose. "It's not as simple as aura anymore,"

"What do you mean?"

Dusk was quickly setting on them, and while Syaoran would've opted to stop on their way there, Sakura insisted that the sooner they reached their destination, the better. She also insisted on doing all the driving. Living on protein bars was clearly doing wonders for Sakura's stamina. Syaoran was craving a full, hot meal already, and it had been three days since they'd left Tokyo.

"Humans develop auras as well," Sakura said. "Some strong, some unnoticeable, some nonexistent, but they have an aura nonetheless. Imagine looking for one particular aura in all of that, like picking out a needle from a haystack. Tracking someone keeping an aura in mind is difficult, especially if you're an amateur tracker. It's like knowing someone's scent. You need to be trained to look for that one specific scent. Eriol and the others are trained in tracking auras, but there are techniques to mask it."

"You can mask your aura?" Syaoran asked.

"When I have to, yes, and it took some time, but Eriol can generally sense my presence within city or town limits. I'm masking my aura right now. What you're feeling is fear." Sakura turned to look at him. "You're afraid of my strength; your subconscious has picked up on it. It's instinctual, but nothing else."

Syaoran shrugged unhappily as he realized that she wasn't wrong. Somewhere, deep down, he disliked having to be so close to her, knowing everything she'd done, everywhere she'd been. If he weren't in the same situation, he would have even been disgusted. He had been when he first saw her in the train, all those nights ago. It's probably the worst thing to say about someone one claimed to love once upon a time, but that's just what Syaoran felt, and he'd be a fool to lie to himself about it.

Now, though, he was apprehensive. Would she hurt him if it came to that? Would she wipe him out, like she insisted they had to the Company and its members?

"I'm hoping you know how to pick up on auras too, and since you haven't said anything, that means that they're either masking their aura or are nowhere near us."

"I don't think they're in Japan. I don't sense them at all. I could be wrong."

Syaoran nodded, his eyebrows raised.

"Are they... scary?"

Sakura smiled a little. "I don't really know how I should answer that," she said as she kept driving. "They've killed without feeling remorse, and I won't lie, that's eventually how one becomes if they have to survive doing something like that.

"Some of them enjoy it, though. The killing. That's the frightening part,"

Syaoran couldn't really decide what to do with this new piece of information she'd shared with him.

Sakura could mask her aura. Syaoran hadn't even realized that masking your own aura could be that difficult to achieve. Wei had mentioned the method once or twice but Syaoran hadn't paid any attention to it. By then he'd already been training for the IAS, long done with magic and its kind.

"Are you scared?" Syaoran asked then.

"The only thing I have left to lose is my life, and I've spent enough time doing things to know that I'd lived my life's worth eight years ago. I don't even know what it feels like to be afraid anymore."

For some reason, a dreaded sense of guilt overwhelmed Syaoran, right after Sakura uttered those words.

Syaoran didn't really know how much else to feel guilty for. The thought had occurred to him over these past few days, about how Sakura wasn't exactly the culprit in all of this, but he'd suppressed it with the guilt he felt for Mei Ling, over leaving her. If he hadn't left Tomoeda, if he'd still... would he have been able to help her, maybe even save her family?

How much must a person have gone through to have given up hope on living itself? Syaoran wanted to reach forward, hold her arm, maybe touch her cheek and caress her skin to try and console her. The only reason he'd asked her that question was because maybe, somewhere deep down, he wasn't afraid either. Not because he had nothing to lose, which in fact, he did. He may have left it all behind, but he still had everything to lose.

So why wasn't he afraid?

Syaoran wanted to ask her that to see what she had to say about it.

Instead, Syaoran chose to ask no more questions. It was the only thing he could do for her as of this moment.

_t_. **w**

Mei Ling was washing the dishes used for dinner when the doorbell rang. It was only her at the moment at her own apartment. She wished she could stay with her family at a time like this but her mother was visiting Aunt Yelan in Japan after Syaoran had taken off and her father on some business trip Mei Ling took no interest to know more about. She wiped her hands clean and walked across the length of the dining room and then to the living room. She peeped through the hole and sighed.

Ever since she'd been detained she hadn't really been bothered by anybody, anymore. She supposed it was for the best. This way she could heal, let go and move on. Plus, it proved to her who her real friends were, and that was practically nobody, which worked out just fine. Not having to see people really sped up the process.

"Tomoyo," she wanted to smile, but couldn't bring herself to do it. "What're you doing here?" She asked instead.

"Just checking up on you," Tomoyo told her with a slight head tilt. "Can I come in?"

Mei Ling hesitated. The last person who was associated with Sakura Kinomoto left her behind as if she was disposable trash. Trusting another one from her passé seemed unwise at the moment, and at the same time, it was much needed. Mei Ling didn't want to be alone. Workmates had alienated her; her superiors had accused her of many things that not even Syaoran had probably committed in his attempt to run away with his former love. Mei Ling sometimes wondered if he knew how many security and moral codes he'd breached in his effort to free that woman.

And now, here was Lady Tomoyo Daidouji, who left behind an entire inheritance to become a doctor in a God forsaken land.

That was as suspicious as suspicious gets.

"I don't trust you," Mei Ling told her directly. "I don't know you, and it turns out that I never knew Syaoran, my ex-fiancé, either. You'll forgive me if I sound rude, but I don't want to take any chances."

Tomoyo nodded. "I just came by to see if you were okay."

Mei Ling pursed her lips. "If that's all then I'm going to ask you to leave,"

Tomoyo stood with her hands before her, her face expressionless. "Sakura and I were friends a very long time ago, Mei Ling. I've lived eight years of my life believing a lie, a lie that I have no way to prove even now.

"She has no medical records, no background to check, no parking tickets, no evidence that she ever existed at all. It's as if she's appeared out of thin air."

Mei Ling simply listened.

"I always did wonder though, about the cards, and Kero, and Yue. The day she'd... died... I'd gone back to her place to check up on them but there was no sign of them."

Mei Ling sighed. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because Sakura betrayed us too, maybe not in the same way she did you. I know you want answers, and I want you to remember that I may have them." Saying that, Tomoyo put one hand up as a gesture of goodbye before turning and walking down the dimly lit corridor. Mei Ling stood watching her leave, wondering what to think of what Tomoyo had told her. Lost in thought, Mei Ling finally managed to shut the door and promptly slouched against it.

_t_. **w**

It was a different experience to be back in the cave that Akuzi Yamaro was never used to being alone in. His comrades were always present with them, and while their number had reduced by one, he still found it empty, pitiful and uninviting. Akuzi wondered why he had the sudden change of heart. He despised his fellow mates, and now he found himself speculating why he was called here, alone.

"You understand, Akuzi, that after what's happened with Sakura that I can take no chances in revealing my plans with everyone." The voice came to him, echoing through the dark, sordid corners as he nodded. It didn't matter if they never saw her face. One knows to fear what one cannot see.

"Of course,"

"I need you to understand that we are falling back and that we can waste no more time."

Akuzi nodded once again. "What is it you want of me?"

"Tomoeda town,"

Akuzi took one breath, then another. "It will take time."

"You have no more than a fortnight."

Akuzi didn't question his orders. He merely kept his thoughts to himself and started his preparations. It would take many to carry out the order, and many would die for the order, but it was as his master wished it. He would do as he was told.

"Sakura will know never to cross paths with me again. She will pay for her insolence with her precious Tomoeda."

The connection was severed, their medium of contact now gone. Akuzi left the cave to his parked car. His thoughts wavered and went to many things, and all those things stemmed from the same thought.

There was much to be done, much to prepare for.

_For those doubts that swirl all around us,_  
_For those lives that tear at the seams,_  
_We know,_  
_We're not what we've seen._

_- _**Marchin' On/One Republic**

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Do read and review.

Thanks for reading, for sticking around, for just being there. It means everything.

For an author is nothing without a reader.


	10. x

**True Warrior**

**Summary**: Plunged into a world of deceit and bloodshed, Sakura Kinomoto lost her hold on everything normal the day she turned 16, the day she lost her parents and the day an old rival bid her farewell. _"It's a small world Kinomoto, we'll see each other again."_ Were his parting words. Who knew eight years was all it would take for those words to come true?

**Author's Note**: Monstar xo, moon86, petersgirl21, KrisyStory, Natsu71316.

I hope I replied to everyone this time around. No excuses for not. If I haven't, please forgive me. We'll catch up this time, I promise.

Now, let me tell you how I was so completely uninspired to finish this story because really, I couldn't find a point to it. While listening to some very inspirational songs while watching some fuck awesome AMVS, I realized why I wanted to write this story, and I hope you all enjoy it for the same reasons. While there will be plenty of S and S, I can't promise it'll be as fluff filled as Tattooed, so if you're here for that, I'd rather you read MWBB or Tattooed again. This may not be for you.

Anyway, here's this chapter.

**Disclaimer**: Everything you read here, apart from the familiar CCS characters, plot and cards, are mine.

* * *

_**x.**_

Mei Ling stood in front of the large, ethnic Chinese mirror, simply looking at her face, observing deep brown eyes that almost looked red under the light, gazing into them as she wondered why, why Syaoran did this to her, why anybody would do this to someone? Days had passed since his escape from Tokyo. Lord alone knows where he was now, even if she did know with whom he was with.

"_Have you ever had a girlfriend?" _

"_Once, when I was still collecting the Clow cards,"_

"_What was she like?"_

"_She's the Card Mistress, actually,"_

Mei Ling still remembered the intimidation that crept into her blood when she heard those words, all those years ago. It was as though being second had become a ritual for her, first with family, and now with her fiancé.

"Mei Ling," Wei's weary voice came. "Mistress Yelan will be ready to see you now."

Mei Ling merely nodded before she turned around and took a deep breath. She hadn't felt this way in months, years actually. As though she would fail with every breath she took. As though she might collapse, even though the ground she walked on was sturdier than ever.

"Aunty Yelan," Mei Ling greeted to the tall woman standing away from her, looking out the window.

"It has been a long time, Mei Ling," her cool and suave reply came. "Come, sit," she gestured with her silk kimono sleeves, her hands invisible. "We have much to discuss."

Mei Ling sat opposite a chair she'd known was her aunt's over the past two and a half decades. True, her aunt was widowed at a young age, but she never did let that affect her children or home. One would think her aunt had never seen or heard of a man before Syaoran was born. She never had needed a man to be who she is, and it looked as though she never would.

_We have much to discuss._

Mei Ling swallowed soundlessly as she thought of the IAS, her director and her superiors. She thought of the mind numbing questions and the hours to which they stretched, simply to understand the depths that were Syaoran Li's mind.

Finally, after three devastatingly long minutes, her aunt turned around to look into her eyes.

At that moment, Mei Ling knew that this would be a humiliation like no other.

_t_. **w**

Somewhere far away from where Mei Ling was, were Sakura and Syaoran, finally having reached their destination, lying down on the sandy beach as they enjoyed the sound of the ocean just mere steps away. They'd managed to stash the car they were in on a lonely street of Aomori as they now gazed at the stars above. The midnight sky was closing in on them, with dawn a few hours away.

Days were simply flying by.

"Nothing's happened yet," Syaoran commented softly, between the sounds of the waves. "Absolutely nothing,"

Sakura said nothing as she folded her hands across her chest and took a loud breath.

"This is going to take forever isn't it?" he asked her then, turning to his side to be able to his companion. "I mean, they couldn't possibly _not_ know where we are right now,"

At last, Syaoran found Sakura nodding. Finally, a response.

"What do you think they're doing?"

"Thinking,"

Syaoran raised an eyebrow at that. "Seriously? It's us versus them. I'm sure there's no real contest going on here. It's just the two of us.

"What's got them thinking so much?"

At that, Sakura was quiet.

Syaoran pushed himself up on his elbow then. "They're afraid of you,"

Sakura looked at him with an eye closed.

"Wow,"

Syaoran lay back down, the sand now swimming in his hair as he fidgeting with his hands. Not that he cared.

"They may not know the true strength of my ability, yes," she said to him quietly. "I'll admit that much.

"Though that still doesn't explain why they haven't made a move yet."

This time, Syaoran didn't bother saying anything. Instead, he huddled closer to Sakura's form and turned away from the girl, his eyes closing instantly.

"Night,"

He couldn't hear Sakura at all anymore, the wind and the ocean now lulling him softly to sleep. It was cold, dreadfully so, but Syaoran couldn't complain. They hadn't slept in three days. Cold or not, Syaoran was going to fall dead on this beach, right here, with the sand under him, the stars above.

And Sakura next to him, lying wide awake, wondering, waiting, listening.

_t_**. w**

"I'm sure you're already well aware of the consequences of Xiao Lang's actions, Mei Ling,"

Mei Ling didn't nod. After a good hour of hearing about the Li dynasty and their ancestral heritage, Mei Ling couldn't find it in herself to care enough to nod. She'd always known somewhere deep down that if it ever came down to things like family pride and prestige, there would be hell to pay for the smaller things. Things like love, affection, relationships.

"And of course, you realize, the Elders want nothing to do with him, or anyone that has anything to do with them,"

At this, Mei Ling raised her head and looked over at Yelan.

"I don't understand," she said affirmatively. And she didn't understand.

"Well, seeing as you are –were- Xiao Lang's fiancé, the Elders would understand if you ever had any contact with him. But you see it is against our heritage to associate ourselves with the bad seed of the family.

"And it would be a shame to see you do the same,"

Mei Ling narrowed her eyes at what Yelan had to say.

"You don't think he knows he's doing something wrong? Of course he does. Young and brave, yet my foolish son is, and I can assure you, he knows exactly what he's doing and now, he must know the cost of it."

Mei Ling wanted to storm out of there, stand up, maybe even take in a sharp breath, but she found herself unable to do any of that. She simply sat there as if she were a statue, her knuckles white from her fists so tightly clenched, and her heart beating like a hummingbird's wings flapping through the air, loud enough to create an impact, loud enough for Yelan to possibly hear.

"Is this is a new rule the Elders have passed?"

"I'm afraid it is more of a courtesy to the IAS, the Chinese government, and the Japanese as well. Consider it our way of telling them that we don't have anything to do with terrorists, even if they are –were- our family."

Are?

_Were_?

"Has this happened before?" Mei Ling let the question escape her lips before she lost the courage.

Yelan merely pursed her lips. "I cannot say so, Mei Ling. It is not for you to know."

Mei Ling stood then.

"I've understood, Aunt Yelan," she paused then to look out of the window at the pouring rain now. Funny, it hadn't even been cloudy when she'd arrived.

"I'll take my leave now,"

Yelan nodded. "Wei will escort you back to the airport,"

"Thank you,"

Down the stairs Mei Ling ran, down and down, step after step, before she broke, before she cried, before she wept.

A traitor, that's what Syaoran had become to the family. He was worse than a traitor; it was as though he'd never been born. Mei Ling wouldn't have been shocked if they erected a tombstone in his name at the family funeral grounds. The only reason they wouldn't do the same would be because even that, even to bury the man's empty coffin, at the family grounds would be a spit on the family name.

And they couldn't have that, now, could they?

Mei Ling ran out of the wooden doors without a single look back, afraid someone might see her at her weakest moment. She merely ran to the car, opened the door and got inside before any further courtesies had to be exchanged.

Syaoran had betrayed them all that much Mei Ling knew. Between her tears, between glancing at the driver's seat to make sure Wei wasn't watching her cry as soundlessly as possible, Mei Ling wondered why she still felt for Syaoran.

Why was Syaoran still haunting her so?

It was as though she could feel him in her veins, his words, his breath, his blood. It was as though somehow, somewhere, at some point, Syaoran and she had become one.

Mei Ling wanted to laugh at the thought. He had left her to be with his one true love, Sakura. He wasn't hers. He was never hers. He would never be _hers_. He had betrayed her, as he had many others.

So why did it feel like he hadn't?

_t_. **w**

Sometime when the light shone brighter than it should have, Syaoran found himself realizing that something was amiss. He shot up then, his eyes looking around for Sakura.

A little ways away, beyond the rocks that cut off his view, he found her head of auburn hair gazing at something. He rushed over to her, only to come face to face with Spinel, only Spinel wasn't so much himself anymore.

"Ruby got away,"

The large cat like creature had been severed from the waist down, as though something had cut a loaf of bread in half. His eyes were open and disgustingly staring off into space, a clear sign that the creature was now dead. His breath was nonexistent, his tail now gone as well. Syaoran didn't have the stomach to ask what had happened to it.

"How long—"

"Barely a few minutes. I sensed Ruby first," Sakura looked over the ocean. "Spinel... I had never had any qualms to settle with Spinel. Spinel always stayed out of my way,"

Syaoran felt a shock run along his spine.

"Ruby, on the other hand, was another story,"

"Are you upset you killed him?" Syaoran asked as they did nothing but stare at Spinel's dead body.

Sakura didn't bother to respond to him. Instead, she looked resigned now.

"You had to kill him, them, you know that. I know that too."

The wind at that point decided to play its part, causing Sakura's hair to come loose of the bun she'd tied before they'd gone to bed. Syaoran watched as her long hair swayed in the wind.

"Help me bury him,"

Syaoran had seen dead bodies before; he'd also seen the people who'd come to cause the deaths. As they dug through the sand with their hands, Syaoran wondered if Sakura had done the same.

She probably had, Syaoran decided, as the two of them walked away from the lone bridge at Aomori, now heading towards nowhere as aimlessly as they had before. Syaoran wondered if he ought to comfort her somehow.

"We'll eat, grab a set of clothes and leave,"

_To where?_ Syaoran wanted to ask. _Where are we going now? What now?_

Instead, he followed her lead, hoping that that in itself was the comfort Sakura needed.

_With everything that you do is wrong _  
_And you feel like you can barely survive yeah _  
_When those around you are crumbling downwards _  
_Buried in the sunset alive_

-** Pretty Vegas/INXS**

* * *

Next update soon! Check out my profile for Teasers.

Thanks for reading!

Do review.


	11. xi

**True Warrior**

**Summary**: Plunged into a world of deceit and bloodshed, Sakura Kinomoto lost her hold on everything normal the day she turned 16, the day she lost her parents and the day an old rival bid her farewell. _"It's a small world Kinomoto, we'll see each other again."_ Were his parting words. Who knew eight years was all it would take for those words to come true?

**Author's Note**: Monstar xo, moon86, petiteTRINH, KrisyStory.

Not much to say. This chapter might be just the beginning of a new era. I always wondered why CCS was so... goody two shoes like.

I love you guys, thank you for reviewing!

On to the next chapter.

**Disclaimer**: Everything you read here, apart from the familiar CCS characters, plot and cards, are mine.

* * *

_**xi.**_

This time, Sakura enforced the bus rule.

"No more driving," she'd told Syaoran as they purchased the tickets with the money they had left, which, thanks to Syaoran, was sufficient, if not exorbitant.

"I can't risk being caught because I was too worried about the roads,"

"Where're we going now?"

"It's your lucky day," she told him as she handed him his ticket. "We're going to Tomoeda,"

Green faded out and tall was the grasslands Syaoran eyed as the bus whizzed by, too quickly for to him wonder where the grass came from and what kind of fields they were. He got the window seat, not by preference or anything like that, it just happened. And Sakura didn't seem to mind.

Actually, she practically didn't seem to care.

"Do you think Ruby's close by? I wouldn't want to endanger any innocent bystanders."

No reply.

"Sakura?"

A kind of peace settled over Syaoran when he realized that Sakura was asleep, and deep asleep at that. It looked like she hadn't slept in a while, not even the night that had gone by. Syaoran had slept like the dead while Sakura...

What had kept Sakura up?

Syaoran felt his fingers tingle with the urge to simply brush a strand of hair away from her forehead, her cheeks.

"_How many times should I tell you, Syaoran, that I hate it when anyone touches my hair?"_

Syaoran felt himself smile, even now, as he thought of that memory, all those years ago. He wanted to take a shot anyway and try and touch her hair. It was rather inviting and all too clichéd. He couldn't believe he had the opportunity to touch her hair, let alone sit so close to her while she slept, all over again. He was absolutely certain they'd never meet again, for he'd sworn he'd never go back to Tomoeda ever again.

And now, here he was.

"_Even me? I'm like, going to be the father of your babies,"_

His eyes went soft at that.

"_Yes,"_ she'd said rather grumpily. _"Even then,"_

Syaoran sank his head into the plush cushion of his chair.

He couldn't believe he'd lost something so serene, so wonderful, so simple, so easily.

He couldn't believe how happily in love he'd been. With her. With... Sakura.

Syaoran fell asleep with his head against the humming window.

He would never admit to anyone that he so badly wanted to fall asleep near Sakura. Well, close enough to smell her hair once again, anyway.

_t_. **w**

Syaoran woke up to the bus slowing down.

Had they already reached?

"Sakura?"

Syaoran turned around to find Sakura sound asleep, her hands tucked carefully into her jacket pockets. She must've been freezing.

Her eyes opened right then.

"Ruby's here," she announced in a panicked voice.

Syaoran couldn't really explain where the two of them brought the strength from. The strength to understand; jump into action, right after the sleep they'd both had. Granted, it was a good five hours, but Syaoran could've slept for days if someone allowed it.

Unfortunately, no one allowed it.

At the point when Syaoran had peeked out the window right near the exit to see if Ruby was in sight, the bus had already come to a complete halt. It was probably a little after eight, with the stars twinkling bright and the moon missing from the dark, night sky. As Syaoran turned around to tell Sakura that Ruby was nowhere to be found, he'd found that Sakura had left the bus, leaving behind a rather stumped bus driver.

"That girl has a death wish,"

Syaoran didn't realize that the man wasn't talking about Sakura.

"—don't you think?" was the last thing Ruby said before Syaoran came into picture, a little ways behind Sakura. "And here's our beloved Syaoran. The two of you, reunited. Whoever would've thought it?

"Mighty proud of yourselves, are you?"

Syaoran didn't bother answering her. He'd pulled his sword into play, not bothered about the consequences.

Ruby was out for blood tonight. It was in the air, her wrath and fury. And boy was she furious. Furious over Spinel, or furious over the fact that the both of them had survived? A blazing light came from Ruby before she came to attack. Syaoran didn't even have the time to brace himself. He'd assumed she'd go for Sakura.

She hadn't.

Syaoran's sword came in direct contact with her ruby red feathers, only to have sliced nothing. Ruby then took his sword by the hand with an expression Syaoran could only describe as rage.

Dear lord, Ruby Moon at her worst was worse than anything else.

"Ruby, listen to me,"

"No, _you_ listen Syaoran fucking Li," she grinned then, pulling his sword into her hands as she shoved Syaoran's back against her chest. She had his sword at his throat now, by his own hand.

Apparently his acquired negotiation skills were useless here, on the real battlefield.

"Do you know what it feels like to watch your comrade die in a war you give nothing for?" she whispered into his ears as Sakura merely looked at them. She hadn't even drawn her wand.

What was she thinking?

"Do you know what it feels like to lose the one person who knew you through and through?"

"_Do you think you're my best friend?"_

"_I'd like to think so,"_

"_And after I've left,"_

"_No one will have known me better, Syaoran,"_

A little louder than the usual whispers she'd laid into his ears so far; she spoke now, probably so Sakura could hear her as well.

"Did you think I'd let you live, after what you'd put us through, Sakura Kinomoto?

"Do you think I'll let you live, after what you did to Suppi?"

Syaoran remembered Ruby's preferred name for Spinel Sun, Eriol's Guardians of the sun and moon. He remembered how easy, how conniving and how irritatingly silly Spinel was. He remembered how Kero and Spinel battled for all the days before Spinel had to leave with Eriol to London.

Syaoran realized that Sakura hadn't said anything after they'd buried Spinel.

And neither had he.

"I am going to shred you to pieces, Syaoran," Ruby promised, just as she brought a hand away from Syaoran's sword to erect one of her hexagons. "And I'm going to start right now,"

Syaoran had thought he'd known pain. Once, during his training with the IAS, he'd badly injured his back whilst trying to combat with Mei Ling. It had been unbelievable, and he'd been bed ridden for days. The doctors had convinced him there'd be no outlet, no relief, and no chance of recovery. He'd thought that'd been the end of his painless life, and the pain had been agonizing.

They say that the human body doesn't know pain until the mind says so, and while the mind knows what pain felt like, what the body felt while the pain was endured, it doesn't really feel the same... unless in pain. A memory of pain is as good as no memory, for the body has to learn and relearn how to adapt while in pain. The pain makes everything rational, everything clear, and everything unclear as well.

And at that very second, Syaoran felt pain as he'd never felt before.

Not even a bullet could've made him feel so battered down.

Syaoran only howled at first, as the burning sensation settled onto his right upper arm. Then, the burn intensified. It was as though his right arm was on fire. It was as though he was on fire.

A string of curses left his mouth after that, leaving Sakura to merely stand and watch.

For a second, he thought that's all she'd do.

"I'm going to let you in a little secret," Ruby told them both. Syaoran was barely listening. Sakura wasn't listening at all, it looked like.

"The Sakura you knew is long gone. If you think she's going to come forward to save you, then you're the biggest fool there is.

"Would the Sakura you knew have killed Spinel as though he was tomorrow' meal? Think about that," Ruby paused as she erected another one of her hexagons. Syaoran was now left free, the sound of his sword resonating through the air as he tried desperately to relieve himself of the pain.

"While I finish you off,"

Syaoran looked Ruby in the eye then.

"Don't worry," Ruby told him with a sad smile. "Sakura won't be joining you anytime soon. She's one of us, after all. She's definitely going to hell once I'm finished with her."

It's strange to watch the colour red, red like the blood coursing through the veins that brought life, red and bright and alert like danger, red as beautiful as the rocket that burst into flames on the days a festival was celebrated.

Red, like a stop sign. Red, like a life.

Blue, like serenity.

Blue, like water.

Blue, like...

Blue?

_Blue?_

If a stranger had to have been watching the entire affair, it would have looked like two celestial beings were fighting angrily after they'd quarrelled over something majestic. Two sets of wings appeared to be flapping faster than Syaoran's heartbeat, pulsing loudly in his ears.

"Easy there, kiddo,"

Syaoran hadn't heard that voice in so very long, and for some reason, he couldn't quite place that voice at this very second.

Who was that?

Syaoran felt like he was being moved. Then, he was on something soft. The burn was ever present, now worse than before. The howling from his mouth only made the fight above look worse to the people who were watching from the bus.

"I told you not to come, Kero. I told you _**never**_ to come,"

"We're your Guardians. Nothing could stop us from being here."

A sigh seemed to have escaped Sakura's lips. Then, a soft wind came into play. Syaoran felt as though he were being cured. Sadly, he knew it was impossible, even as he howled in the pain he felt through his very bone, his eyes clenched shut. Clow had never perfected a card that could heal.

"Time,"

Syaoran opened his eyes to find himself staring into his brown flecked eyes in the window he'd been drooling on mere seconds ago. He felt like he'd been removed from a small Barbie set up, just to be plunged into a new one.

Rather, an old one.

Sakura was still using the Time card, Syaoran could sense that.

"Let's go," he felt a tug on his right arm, the arm he'd been agonizing over merely seconds ago.

"We don't have much time,"

Syaoran didn't ask questions. Sakura took his hand as they ran through the small walkway and jumped off the bus, simply to take flight. Syaoran hadn't even heard Sakura call the Fly. Now, he was in her arms as they flew through the air effortlessly, as Sakura flew like she'd grown a pair of wings. And she had, literally.

"What about Ruby?"

Sakura looked at Syaoran then, their faces mere inches apart.

"I cannot bring back the dead, Syaoran, even with Time. I thought you knew that."

Syaoran took a few seconds to fully understand what she'd said. It was actually Kero and Yue flying past the two of them that helped him register what she'd said.

_Blue_.

Sweet blue arrows spiralling through the air as Yue battled Ruby as effortlessly as his mistress. Had he even taken a few minutes to kill off Ruby Moon, mighty Guardian of Eriol's? Syaoran couldn't remember. Heck, Syaoran couldn't even remember the amount of pain he'd been in only seconds ago.

He could only feel now. The wind in his hair, Sakura's breathing mingling with his as she flew them swiftly through the midnight sky, desperately trying to get them to safety it seemed.

_It's time to begin, isn't it?_  
_I get a little bit bigger, but then I'll admit_  
_I'm just the same as I was_  
_Now don't you understand_  
_That I'm never changing who I am_

_-_ **It's Time/Imagine Dragons**

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	12. xii

**True Warrior**

**Summary**: Plunged into a world of deceit and bloodshed, Sakura Kinomoto lost her hold on everything normal the day she turned 16, the day she lost her parents and the day an old rival bid her farewell. _"It's a small world Kinomoto, we'll see each other again."_ Were his parting words. Who knew eight years was all it would take for those words to come true?

**Author's Note**: Monstar xo, moon86, petiteTRINH, KrisyStory, Musette Fujiwara.

I kind of have some shit going on on my end, so you'll excuse me for my late update. I don't even feel up to writing anymore somehow.

_Tell me why you like this story_. Somehow I feel it didn't quite turn out the way I wanted. The writing is mediocre, the story plot great, but at this point, pointless. What's the point of a good book without good words?

**Disclaimer**: Everything you read here, apart from the familiar CCS characters, plot and cards, are mine.

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_xii._

"Sis," Amanda Jones tried to wake her older sister up urgently, her gentle fingers probing against her soft hip. "Sis, wake up,"

Irene woke to big brown eyes staring into her dull black ones, a groan escaping as she tugged on the blanket and mumbled.

"What Mandy? Why are you still up? It's past midnight,"

"It happened again."

"What did?"

"We went backward," the little girl told her older sister frantically. "We're living this moment again."

"Freaking teenagers..." Irene shoved her face into the pillow, her voice raised now. " Go to sleep Mandy."

"But—"

"I mean it,"

Amanda sat by her window for a little, trying to get God to see, trying to get Irene to believe. After a while of sulking, she merely tucked herself into bed and tried to sleep.

At least she knew when she was living the same moment, over and over.

She realized she was probably one of the few who knew the true meaning of the words Déjà Vu.

_t_. **w**

"I thought," Sakura whispered angrily as she flew through her old bedroom window and settled Syaoran on her bed. "I made myself very clear,"

"Sakura," It was Yue who spoke now. Something was so very different about the way he spoke to Sakura now. For years the two of them had their usual cold war going on, but Yue had never spoken to Sakura the way he was speaking to her now. It was as though he was truly bowing down to his mistress.

"We couldn't—"

"I don't care what you couldn't!" she screamed this time. "I don't care what you _fucking_ couldn't. You were supposed to stay here, you know that, you know why."

Towards the end of that sentence, Sakura's voice died down to almost a whisper once again. Syaoran wondered why that was. Then, he saw her sigh exasperatedly.

"There's no point avoiding this," Yue told her then.

"I know that," she snapped at him.

Nothing could've prepared Syaoran for what happened next. The way he scampered across all the way to other end of the room when the door creaked... he doubted if Sakura would bring it up and make jokes about it. Nevertheless, it was pretty pathetic.

"You're home,"

Syaoran noted how Sakura stood very still, not moving forward to hug her brother, not even to say hello.

Jesus Christ.

Touya was alive.

"You're home," was all Touya said before he practically leapt forward to embrace his little sister. Syaoran watched in silence as he cried silent tears whilst Sakura merely stood limp in his arms.

How many years had it been since Sakura had been here?

Yue then motioned for Syaoran to follow him through the door. Kero had already left the room, it appeared. After quietly closing the door behind them, Yue gestured towards a room.

"You may stay there,"

Syaoran watched as Yue quietly climbed down the stairs. The house was quiet, dark, as though it had never been filled with any happiness. He then walked towards the room Yue had offered him. First, he used the bathroom to have a long, hot shower. As he towel dried his hair, he looked around for something he could wear, and doubted that he could trouble any of the others with it. Between the bed and the empty cupboard was a small chest filled with white shirts and beige pants. Syaoran chose a set, wore the clothes, and laid himself to rest with an arm up on his forehead.

It was only as he fell asleep that he realized.

This was Sakura's parents' room.

_t_. **w**

Eriol had sensed Spinel's death sometime after dawn that morning.

He hadn't been alone when the feeling washed over him.

"What is it, Eriol? What was that?"

Eriol looked over to Ai as he tried to speak the words that he never thought he'd have to utter. For the first time, nothing about Ai's appearance troubled him. Neither her bleached white skin nor her dark red eyes, nor her long raven hair, managed to perturb him.

Something had gone so terribly, horribly wrong.

"Spinel's dead,"

Somewhere over Tokyo now, Eriol had blatantly stopped midair.

"Would you like to go to him?"

Her voice was sweet, meek, soft, feminine... all the things Eriol had once heard in another voice, at another time.

"I feel as though I must,"

It was almost dark when the two of them reached the lonely, sandy beach of Aomori. Eriol looked around the sandy land as Ai pointed towards the rocks against the edge of the beach, the tide having risen.

"I think he has been buried, Eriol," Ai observed when they arrived on the rocks. Eriol merely watched the angry sea crash against the rocks.

"He is long gone now,"

Eriol had created Ruby and Spinel in such a way that if they had been attacked fatally, then their bodies would naturally disintegrate with the air around it. Spinel was now free. Free from him, free from the shackles of their ruler, free from this world.

Free.

"Eriol?"

Eriol looked up to the sky when they both felt it.

He closed his eyes.

"Ruby,"

_t_. **w**

Certain sounds that one hears through the day happen to tell one that yes, they're home.

It could be the sound of a car backing up into the garage, or probably the dog barking at the front door when someone came home, or even the sound of the washing machine as it beeped its finish.

Syaoran found that the sounds of their forks and spoons clanking against the china reminded him of his own home. Granted, home was a lot fancier than it ought to be, with all the china and silver-wear around, and Syaoran was never even sure what to use or how to use it. All he knew that at home, while they ate, they made these very sounds.

And the reason he could even think about the sounds was because no one, not a soul, ever spoke at home. His mother was ever the disciplinarian, so if there ever was a sound made during meals, they would be deprived of the meal. No kid wanted that.

"_To-ya, let your sister have the last piece,"_

Syaoran remembered how family dinners were at the Kinomoto residence.

"_Yeah, she can have the last piece of cake when she's earned it,"_

He almost smiled at how competitive the two siblings were, and almost at everything. The only thing Sakura outdid her brother at was her magic, and for half his life, Touya hadn't even known about his own ability to see spirits, to sense auras.

Looking at them now, no one would've guessed that the two of them had been that close at some point of time.

"Would you like some more, Sakura?" Yukito's tender voice echoed through the house, ringing in everyone's ears.

"No,"

Syaoran sighed at her flat response, stood abruptly and placed his napkin on the table. He'd been done for some time now.

"I'll be upstairs,"

Kero was flying downstairs as Syaoran made his way up.

"What's for lunch?"

"Sushi and rice,"

"Oh, yum,"

Syaoran shook his head as he walked up the stairs.

At least some things were still the same.

_t._ **w**

"She's different," Touya finally announced to Yukito as they entered his room. "I'm not even going to talk about how she looks, because I know something can be done about that. She's... insanely devoid of any emotion."

Yukito looked at Touya with compassion.

"What's wrong with her?" Touya questioned Yukito, and Yue.

"You couldn't have expected her to be the same, To-ya, not after everything she's been through."

"And what has she been through, exactly?"

"_He won't be able to handle the truth,"_

_What if he deserves to know exactly what his sister's been through?_

"_I trust you to know exactly what To-ya can handle. Don't let your emotions for him blind you. You may not be able to lie for Sakura, but I will if that's what it takes to keep To-ya safe._

"_That is the only duty my Mistress has asked of me, and I'll see it to the end."_

Yukito wanted to shrug Yue out of his head, just this once. He wanted to see if he could make any decisions on his own, possibly even act on something he'd wanted to do but couldn't because Yue had said no.

"I can't really say, To-ya. Yue's been pretty quiet in there."

"_Lie better." _came Yue's clipped and toneless voice from within.

"I think he's seeing to how he can keep Sakura around and keep us safe."

Touya exhaled loudly as he fell on the bed. His voice was resigned as he kept talking. His features, his face... he looked troubled. "Will you be up?"

Yukito nodded. "He wants to keep an eye on Sakura."

"I'm going to sleep then."

"Goodnight, my love." Yukito placed a kiss on his lips, then two, before Yukito turned to leave. Touya caught his wrist right about then.

"I love her," Touya told him in a brash and rather desperate whisper. Yukito felt Yue wonder if Touya loved Yukito as much as he did his sister.

"I know." Yukito sat on the bed then, the mattress shifting under his weight.

"So you'll also know that this time I'll do everything in my power to make sure she stays safe, even if that means I have uproot my entire life and become a nomad."

Something inside Yukito jolted at that.

"Sleep, love,"

"_Coddle him, comfort him," _His conscience spoke to him in Yue's voice. _"Give the man the peace he needs."_

"Sakura's in the next room. She's safe."

"_For now,"_ Yue told Yukito. _"She's safe for now."_

Yukito watched Touya's eyes close shut and his breathing evened out almost immediately. Quietly, the silver haired man switched off the lights and left the room.

"Are they nearby?" he asked himself as he walked to Sakura's room, only to find her asleep with Kero by her side, also sound asleep. Yukito couldn't remember the last time the creature looked so at peace.

"_Not as far as I can tell,"_

"Have you got your Shield up?"

"_I have, but I can only protect Sakura for so long. She's... stronger. Suppressing her aura will take a lot more effort."_

"And Kero cannot contribute?"

"_Unfortunately, the Shield doesn't fall under his jurisdiction."_

Yukito quietly transformed and flew out of the window to sit perched up on the rooftops.

"—_this time I'll do everything in my power..."_

Yue wanted to take flight, leave behind the house that had given him shelter and a home for a few minutes to simply take a breath by himself. Cornering himself into Touya's emotions was a silly thing to do. There were bigger things at stake, and Yue knew that.

He couldn't just take off.

If Touya was willing to protect his little sister, even if it meant his death, then surely Yue had a much more interesting role to play in this little charade that had been going on for Clow knows how long.

His hands, clad in its usual white and indigo Chinese silk, rested on the faded blue tiles of the ever sturdy rooftop, his feline eyes taking in every crack, every broken piece, every tile that had to be changed, every tile that didn't need changing. Years had passed since Yue and Kero had last seen their Mistress. To see her so exhausted, so lost, so... it broke him. It made him wonder what was left for the two of them to do, what would happen if they lost either Touya, or her.

"_Everything will be okay, remember?"_

Yue wanted to snap back at Yukito, tell his other self that that was the silliest thing he'd ever heard, until he remembered his own Mistress's voice, saying those very words.

"Everything will be okay,"

_Zettai Daijoubou._

Everything will be okay.

With everything that Yue was left with, he believed those words, now more than ever.

_She wants to go home, but nobody's home._  
_It's where she lies, broken inside._  
_With no place to go, no place to go to dry her eyes._  
_Broken inside._

**- Nobody's Home/Avril Lavigne**

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Teaser is up for chapter 13.

Visit my profile for goodies.

Thanks to my Beta, **3Keys21Mind,** for editing this chapter out.


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